Missing Pieces: A New Legend
by kappalock
Summary: Hyrule is prospering after years of war. Reni, the daughter of Link, longs to escape Ordon. Prince Zerin, the vain son of Queen Zelda, is to be king. Unfortunately, their bickering may stop them in saving Hyrule from a past threatening to repeat itself.
1. The Ordonian

**Disclaimer: **The Legend of Zelda belongs to Shigeru Miyamoto.

**KAPPALOCK: **I suck at titles, but I like to think the story's okay. Hello, this is my second story on here and my first chapter story. Thank you for clicking in to read this, I really appreciate it! This takes place 20-some years after _Twilight Princess_. Based around Link's daughter and Zelda's son and some grand adventure they experience. Sorry, I know that people don't usually enjoy OC stories but since you chimed in, I ask that you please bear with me. I hope you enjoy it. I go back and often revise and edit chapters without warning (I'm a bit of a perfectionist) and it's usually just fixing grammar mistakes and fixing paragraphs or whatever. Usually if I don't update for a long time, I'm revising chapters or very busy/lazy. But the story doesn't change.

**Last update:** 12/10/11

.:.

Ordon Ranch was in pure chaos. Fado stood behind the fence trembling in fear, with his hands holding the gate closed. Ordon Goats ran around the ranch, bewildered, tumbling into the mountainside, stable, fence, and one another. Fado couldn't recall how this even happened, but right now, he had to concentrate on keeping the fence closed. The Mayor wouldn't be happy if another goat escaped into the village.

"Fado!" He turned when he heard his name called, but keeping his tan hands on the gate to keep them closed. He hoped the voice was of his two ranch hands but instead, a man dressed in a dark brown tunic with a sword and wooden shield clinging to his back approached him. Fado remembered Colin as a young and meek child. Now, he was a strong, brave sword-fighter, training to become a Knight of Hyrule.

"Colin! I-I don't know what happened, I just..." Fado said, slowly removing his hands from the posts.

"Keep your hands on the gate!" Colin shouted and Fado did as commanded, "Your ranch hands will be down here soon to help." Colin's ears picked up a tapping in the distance. He smiled and looked behind him, "And here they are."

"Just in time, too." Fado added. He glimpsed behind him out of the corner of his eye to see two large horses heading straight for him. He ducked to the ground as fast as he could. The two horses leaped over the fence and into the frenzied ranch. On the majestic chestnut horses were two young riders, a boy and a girl.

"Ilielmar!" The young woman called out to the boy, "Take Rudio around left. I'll take the other side." She directed across the field. The boy on the other horse nodded and turned his horse in that direction. Rudio crossed in front of the goats along the side of mountain, forcing them to move towards the center of the field.

The young ranchers maneuvered around the goats in a circular motion, pushing the creatures into the middle of the field. As they moved in closer together, the goats began to calm down a bit and gather into a huddle. The two horses halted and the madness in the ranch ceased.

Fado opened the gate and Colin followed him into the ranch. He let out a sigh of relief at the sight of goats calmly grazing amongst the field.

"Thank Farore that it's over." Fado said, wiping the nervous sweat from his brow. He looked back at the mess blue crowding in the middle of the field. "You guys cause all sorts of trouble for me." He grunted as he began leading and pushing the goats into the stable.

The girl dropped from her horse and gave Colin a triumphant smirk.

"How'd you like that, Colin? We rounded up those goats so fast; it must've been a new record for us!" The young woman said. Colin smiled, recognizing her blue eyes and the wild orange hair.

"I'm impressed, Reni," Colin let out a chuckle, "I remember when you could barely get on a horse and now you're jumping over fence and stopping stampedes."

The young sandy-haired boy next to her jumped down his smaller horse

"How did this happen?" He asked with a meek and shy voice, stroking the mane of his own horse.

"Thank goddess you two came in with Epona and Rudio. I don't know how much longer Fado and I could've held that gate." Colin said, rubbing the back of his neck. Fado sat himself down in the grass with a huff.

"Hello Fado." Reni and the boy said in union.

Fado greeted them with a nod, "Reni, Ilielmar. Once again, you saved the day." He chuckled. Ilielmar and Reni flashed each other a knowing look.

"What exactly happened here, Fado?" Colin asked, crossing his arms.

"I don't know," Fado scratched his head, "Maybe they saw a snake or something. I can't say that I was paying attention."

"Figures." Reni sighed.

"I guess I'm just getting too old for this ranch." He groaned.

"Oh, you're not that old." Ilielmar denied, "Can you at least close up the ranch for us? Mother wants us home for dinner." He said, kneeling down to Fado's level.

"Yeah, yeah." Fado chuckled as he stood back up, "I got it. Go on home."

"See you, Fado." Colin waved as he exited the ranch.

"See ya. I'll just let these two graze out on the field." Fado said as he led Epona and Rudio away. Reni blew a strand of hair out of her face as she walked out of the ranch.

Ilielmar followed in suit, "I wonder what mother's cooking for dinner…"

.:.

"Supper is ready!" The voice of a female rang about the house in Ordon Village. Ilia walked out of the kitchen to see if anyone had answered her call. There was already someone in the kitchen but two others came rushing down the stairs at her call. A man sat at the table, engaged earlier in a conversation with the woman but her call for supper interrupted it. The man, who still looked strong and tall even sitting down, played with the square pendant hanging from his neck.

Once known as Link, the Hero Chosen by the Gods, the man was now Link, Mayor of Ordon Village. However, he was always too humble for that title, insisting that they simply refer to him as Link. There wasn't any difficulty convincing the villagers, who pretty much grew up with him, to drop the rigid titles.

"It's very nice for you to cook for me and Reni, Ilia...again." Link said to Ilia. He took a quick look at Reni as she and Ilielmar sat at the dinner table.

"Think nothing of it, Link. You and Reni are like family to us." Ilia said with a small grin as she passed bowls of stew around the small table. Link smiled thankfully to her. They really were like family to her. She lived alone with her son, Ilielmar, for years since her husband left her to fight in the war. Of course, raising a child was nothing new to her, having the experience form helping Link raise Reni. Her real mother remained a mystery- at least to everyone else besides Link and Ilia. Reni knew this for a fact. Well, she _assumed _this was a fact. She knew either of them wouldn't say a word about it to her but she never bothered asking.

Supper had passed with few conversations.

"So, I'm guessing the stew was alright?" Ilia asked anyone in general, noticing all the bowls were empty.

"It was good, mother." Ilielmar politely commented.

"Thanks for the meal again, Ilia. I don't know what we'd do without you." Link laughed embarrassingly at his lack of cooking skills.

"You know, tomorrow's a special day." She said, looking in Reni's direction.

"Yeah, I guess." Reni falsely smiled, using her spoon to pick at scraps in her bowl.

Ilia smiled calmly at Reni. She didn't argue. Ilia knew that she couldn't replace Reni's mother and having lost her own mother when she was younger, Ilia understood how she felt. Although she dare not share that with Reni, for she feared Reni becoming angry with her for even trying to understand her.

Link noticed Reni's attitude and groaned at her typical rebellious teenage attitude. Ilia was unfortunately the target of choice. She still responded with nothing but a calm smile. He never went through that stage; he didn't understand how she got into it. He didn't really want to think about it too much. Either way, Link didn't take kindly to Reni talking to Ilia in such a way. Ilia isn't her mother, but she tried to be there for her. Ilia had lost her own mother, she understood how she felt. Reni was always just too hardheaded to listen.

"Reniah..." Link sighed, using her full name for emphasis. She's always hated the sound of Reniah. Where the heck does someone come up these names? Reni let out a similar groan to Link's and slunk in her chair.

Tomorrow _was_ in fact a special day- Reni's seventeenth birthday, to be exact. The village threw small celebrations to rejoice in everyone's birthday. It was easy to do with a small population. Ilia was the brains behind planning them, although they were all the same, but her favorite celebration was the Ordon Festival, almost two months after her birthday.

"Do you have any ideas on what you want for your birthday?" Ilia asked. Reni rose a bit, this was the first time they asked her this. Although it was a little delayed considering her birthday was tomorrow.

"Well…" She said, looking up in an innocent way. She clasped her hands together to her chest to emphasis the look. Link raised an eyebrow; he knew that this was not going to be good. "I think you know very well where this is going…?" Reni said with a smirk. At this, Link's expression turned sour.

Of course, Reni wanted nothing more than to leave Ordon Village on her own. She yearned for the land her father talked about in his stories. They sounded dangerous, but new and exciting. But for whatever reason, the gate past Ordon Spring stayed locked. There was a whole new world out there; she just wished she could visit it herself.

"We'll talk about this later." Link said, taking a bite out of the bread.

Reni jumped up out of her chair, "But father-!"

"This is Ilia's home. Don't shout. It's disrespectful." Link said with a mouth full of food.

"Oh, it's all right." Ilia said, but her comments went unnoticed.

"You should talk after swallowing. That's disrespectful." Reni retorted.

"It's fine, Link..." Ilia said calmly in response to both Reni and Link's 'disrespectful acts'. Ilia looked at them both, "Could you two not fight over dinner? Do this again and I'll be sure to add something terrible to your next dinner." Ilia glared. Link and Reni both blushed in embarrassment. Ilielmar giggled quietly to himself before being silence by Reni's fierce glare. Ilia quietly got up and gathered the empty dishes. She carried them across the room to clean them. Link looked at Reni with a stare that implied her to help Ilia. Reni rolled her eyes in response and stood up to help Ilia wash the dishes.

Link and Reni barely spoke to each other for the rest of the night; but this was usual after an argument. Arguments were pretty usual themselves.

"We should be going. We'll see you tomorrow, Ilia." Link said.

"Goodbye Link, goodbye Reni." Ilia said. Ilielmar waved. Link and Reni waved back as they left the house. The night sky shaded over the village but lamps were there to light the way home. Link and Reni lived outside the village in a tree house big enough for only the two of them. They walked in silence, until Link brought up another question.

"Is there anything else you want for you birthday that's reasonable?" He asked. Reni looked at him.

"I want to go out and see Hyrule. And that's all I want. That's pretty reasonable." Reni said, stopping in her tracks. Link gave a sigh of annoyance. "I'm not asking much. I could just take Rudio myself and leave. You said you were my age when you went out and saved Hyrule. You _saved_ Hyrule! I'm not going to be fighting battles! I just want to visit Hyrule Castle Town or something! That's reasonable, isn't it?" Reni's been to Castle Town before. Her father had taken her, but that was the last time she left the village. She was very young at the time and the trip had faded from her memories.

Link sighed, running a hand through his short, messy blond hair. Reni bit her lip. He waited until they got home when he spoke to her again. After climbing up the ladder and walking in, Link walked over to a short dresser.

The house hadn't changed since Link's youth. A loft bed was right next to the door and a chest shoved in the corner right alongside the cooking pot in the hearth; just like it always had been. The basement was the only feature changed; Link converted into a small bedroom for Reni.

"Here, an early birthday present." He changed the topic, pulling a rough brown package out from one of the drawers.

"You didn't answer my last question." Reni glared at him.

"Open it." He sighed. Reni took the package and began to tear it open. Inside was a worn and old wooden slingshot. The handle's wood cracked and chipped in some spots. The band had lost its white color and was now a dusty yellow. It was still in working condition.

"It's my first weapon. I bought it right here in the village." Link smiled. Reni looked up at him.

"Thanks, father." She said, trying to hide a smile. Although she was mad at him, she admitted that Link always had a way so that you couldn't stay mad for long.

"You should probably get to bed. It's pretty late." Link said with a weak smile, patting her shoulder. Reni sighed in annoyance at how he avoided her question. She walked towards a ladder that led to her room. A window was carved that room for more light.

She sat on her bed, not as angry with her father as before. That still didn't make her drop the first idea. Reni didn't think it mattered what her father tried to tell her anymore. Reni hadn't planned it out, but somehow and someway, she was going to find her own way out of Ordon Village.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes**

I like to give little trivia about characters and the story. No big deal.

**Fado:** He just runs the ranch. He's kind old now. He's still lets the goats escape.

**Colin:** He's grown up a lot since he was a kid. Colin had trained with his father in sword fighting until his death and after that, he continued training with Link. One could say that he's almost as good as him, but Colin modestly admits he could never defeat Link in a sword fight. Prior to this story, he started training to become a Knight of Hyrule. He spends every other month training in Hyrule Castle Town, then return home. He's married to Beth and has one child with her, Ultasi.

**Reniah: **Reni is the daughter of Link. She works at Fado's ranch with Ilielmar. She may be in the rebellious teenager stage. She can't do the one thing she desires most: leave. Reni desires to travel the world and possible find out the secret identity of her real mother. Despite not having an entirely healthy attitude, she is quite bright and can really be a respectful young woman. But that's only if she really tries to, in which case she doesn't. She likes to do things on her own and is a bit selfish and tends to be too focused on her own goals to take notice to others. She's not very fond of Ilia trying to replace her mother in her life although she enjoys having Ilielmar as a pseudo-brother.

**Ilielmar: **The son of Ilia and a solider of Hyrule. For a thirteen year old, he's very mature. Albeit, very meek and soft-spoken. Ilielmar enjoys craft and working jobs around Ordon Village. He also likes riding horses and working for Fado at the ranch. He sometimes thinks about moving to Castle Town and training under a blacksmith. But Ilielmar loves Ordon and doesn't mind staying. Plus, seeing how Link deals with Reni's goals, he's a bit afraid to reveal his own. For now, he helps out Talo in Ordon, an amateur blacksmith. He looks up to Link and Talo as father figures. Ilielmar knows that his father hurt Ilia and doesn't care much for the memory of him. Ilielmar admires Reni for her strength and thinks of her as a sister.

**Rudio: **One day Link took Epona out for a ride and came across another ranch owned by a strange man. While Link was inside with the rancher, his horse came up to Epona and...well...you can guess what happened from there. The man and his ranch and that horny horse mysteriously disappeared after a few days. Rudio is named after Rudiobus, a Celtic Horse God.

**Epona:** She's an old horse and that trusty steed for life.

**Ilia:** Ilia had fallen for Link when she was younger, but she came to accept the fact it probably wouldn't work. She met and fell in love with a Hylian soldier. Although he was a bad apple and left Ilia after she became pregnant. He eventually died in the Hyrule War against Yugano, which sort of serves him right. Ilia and Link are still good friends and she frequently makes them dinner. Due to the absence of Reni's mother, Ilia raised Reni as an infant to help Link. She tries to have a good relationship with Reni, but she just pushes her away. She deserves no hate; she's a good person.

**Link:** Link, the Hero Chosen by the Gods and now slightly retired as Mayor of Ordon Village. He took up the title after Ilia's father, Bo, passed away. After he defeated Ganondorf, he was crowned as a Knight of Hyrule by Zelda. Link then disappeared mysteriously for a few years and then suddenly reappeared in Ordon one day with a baby in his arms; Reni. When a war struck between Hyrule and a neighboring country, Yugano, Zelda's late husband, King Zerin I, asked Link to join him in the war as his second-in-command. But Link had retired from fighting and politely refused.

Most of the residents of Ordon still live there. Malo is the only one who doesn't reside there anymore, since he lives in Kakariko Village to run Malo Mart. That became a very popular store chain. There's even one in Ordon Village, which replaced Sera's Sundries once that lady kicked the bucket. Beth wasn't too happy about Malo taking over, but she offered to run the store anyway.


	2. The Prince

**KAPPALOCK:** And I'm introducing Prince Zerin right about now. Thanks for the reviews, you guys rock.

**Last update:** 12/12/11

.:.

Three months.

For Prince Zerin, that was how long he had until his own seventeenth birthday.

And when he turned seventeen, he would no longer be Prince. He would be King.

A young age to become king, but Zerin knew the conditions that would force him to the throne. It was either him or one of the Dukes and his mother didn't trust them a bit. He'd been in training for years just to be a good king to Hyrule. Political classes in the morning, training in the afternoon, and etiquette classes at night; all day, every day. His favorite was etiquette. After all, personal image was key to being a good king. Zerin didn't care for politics, although it was another important part of being king. He had a court to help him decide. But once more, his mother didn't trust the court either and thus, placed all future decisions on his shoulders.

But today was different. No more of those boring classes and no more evil trainer who would try to kill him during practice. Although he didn't know how it was different yet, but his mother would tell him soon. So he could be presentable, when he visited the Queen, the royal tailor gave him a new outfit.

Zerin turned and looked in the mirror to admire the outfit once more before he left. He left his straight, golden-brown hair grow to above his shoulders. He had a widow's peak and kept the front of his hair pushed loosely behind his pointed ears, decorated by long red feather-like earrings and tiny gold hoops right beside them. His father had kept his hair behind his ear as well. He had inherited his hair color from his mother, but his had inherited his hazel-colored eyes and widow's peak from his father.

Zerin had not received his own crown yet, though he wished he had. After adjusting his hair to make it look neat, he brushed off any dirt off his white sleeves and crimson tops. The gold trimming on his outfit was a common tailoring custom for the Royal Family.

A knock at the door and the voice of one of the palace servants interrupted his train of thought, "Young Prince, the Queen is waiting."

"J-Just a second." Zerin replied, adjusting his collar. After a moment, he walked to the large white, wooden door and opened it. The servant stood there waiting for him. He smiled at the prince and bowed slightly.

"Your highness." He greeted. Zerin greeted him with a soft smile. "Your mother will see you now." He turned and started walking. Zerin knew, of course, where his own mother's room was, but it was formal to walk with a servant at your side.

Royal blue carpet paved the hallway. Paintings of the Royal Family lined the white stone walls. The first one was of a young child, who looked no more than two, a lovely young woman, and a man with long dark brown hair and a short beard. Zerin recognized the painting easily. The young child was Zerin, himself. The woman was his mother, Queen Zelda of Hyrule. And the man was his father, King Zerin of Hyrule. His mother asked the Royal Painter to paint the picture days before his father went off to war and died.

A painting of his mother as a young princess mystified Zerin the most. She was posing with a man clad in green and some strange woman in dark clothing that contrasted with her vibrant orange hair. The woman was a mystery to him and his mother didn't answer questions about her, but Zerin knew the man; the Hero Chosen by the Gods. Zerin had once met him before. It was after his father's death, although he remembered little of this. But Zerin did remember that he had a young girl with him who was the same age as he was.

Soon, they came to his mother's room.

The doors to his mother's room were high with golden knobs. The servant opened the door for him and Zerin walked in. The room had a royal-purple design, his mother's favorite color. Several female servants were in the room, helping his mother get ready. She sat on a backless purple chair as a maid braided her long golden locks. Another maid was tying colorful purple ribbon and attaching the metal ornaments to one of the thick locks in front of her pointed ears.

"Oh, Zerin…" Zelda softly said when noticed her son's presence, "Please have a seat." She invited him in with a smile and tapped a second chair near her. Zerin obediently came to her and sat down. Zerin admired her long royal purple gown, but his favorite part was her crown, golden and magnificent decorated with bright blue jewels and golden leaves.

She looked beautiful. But despite this, Zerin could still see that she was very weak. Zelda's condition was the only reason for Zerin's early coronation.

Over the winter, she became seriously ill. The doctors tried to heal her, but she only became weaker over time. They didn't know how much longer she had. But Zerin only had to look at his mother to know that she knew of the heartrending realization that she didn't have much longer. Rahla, the chief court adviser, recommended that Zelda select a regent to rule in her place. Zerin clearly remembered the day his mother stood up tall, even with her weakening legs, and proudly, albeit irritably, championed for her son. She defended his claim to the throne; he had gone through most of his lessons already and wasn't far from the coronation age to start with. The court tried to argue with her, as they usually did. Yet, after they pushed his father into a war that was the cause of his death, Zelda no longer allowed them to influence certain decisions, especially ones she felt so strongly about. She decided that Zerin become king on his seventeenth birthday. The kingdom couldn't be without a ruler and she wouldn't leave it in the hands of some power-hungry regent. Zerin couldn't help but smile when Rahla could do nothing but weakly abide to the Queen's wishes.

"You look very handsome, my little King." Zelda smiled, straightening out his tunic and using a familiar nickname. Zerin smiled, she had been calling him that for as long as he could remember.

"Thank you, mother." He said in reply, "But I'm not so little anymore."

"But you are still my son. I have a gift for you." She said, reaching slowly behind her for a white, square box. She showed it to Zerin and he took it. He opened it slowly. Lying atop a purple cushion was a magnificent golden crown. A centerpiece was a long, thin golden plate with two curled sides and a blue jewel adorned at the focal point.

"Mother, it's beautiful." Zerin smiled, taking it carefully in his hands, "Thank you!"

"Let me put it on you." Zelda smiled. He handed on her crown and she carefully placed it on his head. It fit perfectly. "I thought you'd like this to go with the new outfit you received. You could wear it all on the trip I planned for you." She was tracing a finger over his crown, but he backed away when she mentioned 'trip'.

"What trip? Will you be going?" He asked.

"I'm sorry, Zerin. It's just for you." Zelda sighed. Zerin stared at her with a confused look. She went on to explain.

"You'll be ruling this kingdom soon, but you haven't been outside the Castle Town walls. I'm sending you on a trip to explore the other places in Hyrule. It'll be an amazing trip, I assure you. You'll see the Zora Domain; with all sorts of other civilized races. And you could visit Kakariko Village, or the Province of Ordon. You'll be home in time, too." Zelda let out a sad smile.

"This is sudden, mother." He said.

"I'm sorry." Zelda frowned, "Rahla told me I must send you on the trip as soon as possible since I decided that you'd be king so early. You know how stubborn he is. He can't get his way on one thing, so he has to get his way on another." Zelda tried to soften the news with a laugh, but instead burst into a coughing fit. After a few moments, she decided to play off the coughing fit like it was nothing. Zerin remained silent for a few moments. He hated seeing his mother like this, but he knew what he had to do.

"I understand, mother." Zerin smiled back, "I'll do as you say."

Zelda sighed in relief, "I'm glad you accepted the trip. You'll be leaving in a few days, early in the morning. I'll have the guards alert the town of your leave so they can all wish you a good trip." Zelda smiled.

"Thank you, mother." Zerin nodded. Zelda kissed his forehead; her lips met with the jewel centerpiece.

"Now go and put away your new clothes so they stay new." Zelda said to him. He nodded and stood up to leave, closing the door slowly as he left.

Zelda smiled and sighed to herself, "He's such a good boy."

.:.

"No! There is no way!" The young prince shouted about his room. He didn't care if anyone could hear him. Now that he was out of his mother's sight and the situation didn't demand for the utmost politeness, he didn't care.

"How unfair." He said, stomping his foot once and crossing his arms, "Sending me off to go and 'view the world'. Great Goddess, what an idea… It figures the court would do such a thing to me. They clearly hate me so." Zerin grumbled and looked in the mirror. He blinked at his reflection; he messed up his crown's placement. He grumbled once more and promptly fixed it.

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Zerin smirked at his reflection as he fixed up his crown, "Oh, I've never seen a more handsome prince in my entire sixteen years." He smiled at his reflection. He continued to talk to himself.

"I don't need to go out and see Hyrule! I know enough about it already." Zerin complained. He then paused and stroked his chin and sat on the edge of his bed, "There's no way I'm going to get out of this trip anyway so what's the use of complaining about it?" He groaned. He fell back onto his large bed.

"What am I doing here, talking to myself? I'm sounding nearly bipolar or something…" Zerin turned to the mirror again. He really just couldn't stop staring at himself.

"I probably should change now. Can't get this outfit ruined for tomorrow's trip." He said with a groan as he began to remove his belt. He looked up at a nearby window. He remembered seeing his mother's ill form. He was terribly upset with the court of deciding such an outrageous thing, but Zerin only had to see his mother and know what the best decisions were. He let out a weighted sigh.

"I guess...it'll be fun to travel. Oh, but the world is so full terrible things…"

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Prince Zerin II of Hyrule: **He's named after his father and dreams to be just like him one day. Honestly, this young prince is a mixture of a coward, a spoiled brat, and a narcissistic. He enjoys etiquette and wearing fancy clothing. He doesn't enjoy fighting and training. He criticizes his combat teacher as evil; however he is only evil because Zerin refuses to do as he's told. He doesn't like poor people either, but he groups middle-class and lower-class and village folk in the same group so he doesn't like anyone that's not nobility. That's odd because his father was born in poverty and Zerin absolutely loves his daddy. That being said, Zerin is also a very cheerful and honest boy (although he tends to exaggerate from time to time). He is very faithful to his kingdom and has an affinity for books and historic legends. Zelda didn't completely mess up in raising him.

**Queen Zelda:** Once Princess Zelda, now Queen. She became Queen after Ganondorf was defeated. Zelda is very regal, quiet and serious and is entirely faithful to her kingdom and her duties as Queen (_Twilight Princess _didn't really give her the spunkiness we see in other games). Years after, the court insisted she get married soon to produce an heir to the throne. Zelda accepted no suitors they pushed toward her, but after years of trying, the court gave up. Although one last man set out to win Zelda's hand, and after some time, she accepted and they soon were married. Although she did not initially love this man, she eventually got to know him and fell in love with him. She thinks her son is just the most precious and innocent little boy on this planet.

**King Zerin I of Hyrule:** Zerin's father. Zerin was born into Hyrule poverty, but traveled the world in his teenage days, and managed to reach a rank of nobility on his own through various connections. He admired Princess Zelda and when the time came, he set out and asked her to marry him. She said no time and time again. But Zerin was persistent and did things like climbing up trees to proclaim his love into her window and presenting her with gifts, stuff like that. She finally accepted when he started to sing (rather badly) into her window and they, well, got married. During their marriage, war had been declared on Hyrule by a neighboring country, Yugano. During the time of the war, Zelda gave birth to their son. Five months before his son's fourth birthday, King Zerin left to go and help in the war. He was killed during a one-on-one battle with Yugano's own king, yet Zerin managed to inflict mortal wounds onto the Yugano King and the King died a few short days later. Due to Yugano's customs, they were left with a five-year old ruler and Queen Zelda, still in mourning of her husband's death, settled the war herself two months later.

**The Court:** They like to push. They help make important decisions for Hyrule with the assistance of the Monarch. The leader of the court is **Rahla**, who is stubborn and likes to push the most. As leader of the court, he acts a royal advisor.


	3. The Birthday, Pt 1

**KAPPALOCK: **Now comes the meeting of Prince Zerin and Reni. If you have any questions about the story, feel free to ask in a review or message or email.

**Last Update: **12/12/11

.:.

Today was the day.

Zerin was putting on the last of his outfit, fastening silver-colored shin guards over his tan trousers. He liked those. They matched his fancy silver shoes. A knock came to the door.

"Come in." Zerin said. His mother was at the door. She walked weakly to a nearby chair and sat down. Zerin closed the door and sat down with her silently.

"Well...today, you'll be off." Zelda smiled. Zerin nodded.

"I'll miss you." Zelda sighed.

"And I'll miss you, mother." Zerin sighed. She leaned in and hugged him and he hugged back.

"Don't worry about the trip. Like I said, you'll have those two guards with you; the finest in Hyrule." Zelda assured him. Zerin let out a sigh of relief. She continued, "Don't forget to write, there's a traveling mailman who you can give your letters to and he'll deliver them." Zelda said, stroking his hair lightly.

"Yes, mother." He nodded. Zelda sighed.

"One last present." Zelda said, pulling out a long brown package. Zerin looked at it curious and began to unwrap it in her hands.

It was a sword.

A sword in a brown leather scabbard. The scabbard was old and stained. Zerin did not mind though. He stared wide-eyed at it. The hilt was in a dark brown leather cover. Zerin slowly removed it and noticed the beautiful blue and red jewels placed on the ends of the cross-guard and pommel. He took off the scabbard. The blade was pure white and it shined brilliantly.

"Mother...this sword…it's..." Zerin was so bewildered that he couldn't even finish his own sentence. Zelda finished it for him.

"It's your father's sword and now it's yours. I'm sure he would've wanted me to give it to you when you became of age." Zelda said quietly.

"Mother...I-I..." Zerin still couldn't finish. This was his father's mother treasured possession. It was in his son's hands. This was the same sword the knights brought to the castle door when they told Zelda that her husband had perished. It always hung on her wall in her room. Zerin used to sit and stare at it as a child, believing it to have his father's spirit contained in it. Zerin used to sit and talk to it. He liked to believe that it did, in fact, answer back. But he was quite delusional when he was a kid. He read too many books. Zerin threw his arms around his mother's neck ecstatically. She hugged him tightly.

He silently hooked the sword to his belt. "It looks perfect." Zelda sighed as he attached it. Zerin smiled at her. Zelda smiled back. She tried not to cry, for she never knew if she would be there for her son when he came back.

"The guards are waiting for you." Zelda sighed, "Goodbye." She kissed him on the forehead and left, walking weakly to the door. Zerin sighed.

"Goodbye, mother." He said.

.:.

Zerin mounted about his white steed, Portia, given to him on his eighth birthday. A tan blanket adorned her saddle, decorated with Hylian markings. Zerin held the reins lightly.

They were at the town entrance, the large brown doors closed before him. Two servants stood at the doors ready to open them whenever the Prince commanded for them to do so.

"Are you ready, Prince?" One of the guards asked him. The guard covered himself in armor except for his face and Zerin could see that he had a blond beard.

Zerin nodded and sighed. He looked at the servants, "Open the doors." And they did so.

It was bright out, the light nearly blinded Zerin and he winced for a second when it touched his eyes.

"We're off." The second guard said. This one did not have a beard but he did have a scar on his cheek. Zerin tapped the reins on Portia and she began moving forward. Zerin held his head high as they walked through the crowds. Nearly all of Castle Town was there, bidding him goodbye. Zerin, of course, expected all of this attention. He _is _the prince.

Portia trotted with her head high as well. She enjoyed the praise as well.

.:.

His mother sat up at a balcony, watching the scene from above. Zelda looked down at Zerin's back, a tear slipping down her cheek. He was just like his father. She heard the cry of the crowd, it sounded familiar to her.

"All hail Prince Zerin of Hyrule!"

She looked at his back and sighed sadly as she watched it disappear into the crowd. She then stood up and left the balcony.

It was the same way his father left the last time she saw him.

.:.

After a few minutes of marching through the crowds, they were outside the walls of Castle Town. The first thing Zerin saw were the green fields he only saw through the castle windows before. He looked around in awe. He only saw these fields from the high tower in the palace.

"Does the sight please you, Prince Zerin?" asked the bearded guard.

"Of course!" Zerin nodded.

"Shall we move forward?" The scarred one asked. Zerin nodded and they did so. The scarred guard began to look at his map.

"Where to first, Prince?" He asked him.

"Whichever one is closer." Zerin said.

"Kakariko Village it is then!" He said. They had now entered Southern Hyrule Field. The area was vast and green, brighter than Zerin had ever imagined. It looked incredibly peaceful. There were various levels in the land itself, many trees, and Zerin could see a worn dirt path leading the way for them. Portia walked forward, following the path. Now, after seeing all the beautiful scenery, Zerin wasn't so upset about going on the trip.

.:.

"Great Goddess! How long is dilly-dallying through the fields going to take?" Zerin complained, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. The guards had stopped their trip in the middle of Southern Hyrule Field. The two guards stood in front of a small and fast moving stream that was running through the tunnels between two mountain walls.

"We must admire the beauty of Hyrule, Prince! Isn't that what this trip was for?" The scarred guard asked.

"No, this trip is for me to visit the people I am to rule! I finished admiring the scenery minutes ago! As I command, we are off!" Zerin yelled. The finest guards? His mother was mistaken.

"Of course, your highness." The bearded one said, bringing back his horse.

"Wait." Zerin glared at him, "Portia is drinking." He sighed as he petted Portia's mane as she drank from the stream. The bearded guard rolled his eyes. Hadn't he just yelled at them for not waiting around just a second ago?

"Of course...your highness." The guard repeated through clenched teeth. Zerin tossed his head. These guards probably would run in fear rather than defend him. If anything harmed him on this trip, he would surely have someone punish them. Portia finished drinking.

"Alright. Now we go." Zerin corrected them. He put his foot on the saddle. He prepared to lift himself onto the horse but a hand rose to stop him.

"W-Wait." The scarred guard paused.

"Something wrong?" Zerin asked, more annoyed now that he was stopping them once again.

"D-Do you hear something?" The guard asked. Zerin perked up his ears. He heard something; footsteps in the distance.

"Well, it obviously sounds like we have guests in this field." Zerin groaned, "There haven't been monsters here for years, right guards? Are you frightened?" The prince mocked them.

"N-No, your highness." They shuddered.

"Thought so." Zerin sighed. He looked beyond to a hill in the distance, noticing something, and squinted his eyes.

There was a cloud of dust coming from a hill behind the guards. Zerin raised his eyebrows and the guards gave him questionable glances. They turned around in the direction Zerin was facing. They could now clearly see a herd of creatures racing toward them; green little men riding giant pigs.

"Bulblins!" The guards shouted.

"What?" Zerin gawked.

"Run, Prince Zerin! Run!" The guards began to mount their horses.

Zerin panicked and flipped around to Portia. Portia neighed in fright of the Bulblins. She stood up on the back legs, kicking the air. Zerin reached up carefully to grab the reins and pull Portia down to calm her. He turned around to glance over his shoulder and saw the guards fleeing and the Bulblins were right on him, still running through. One of the green men ran right next to Zerin and Portia. Zerin screamed in fright as the little green creature raised the hand that held a large club. It swung at Zerin but missed. Portia neighed as the creatures neared towards her.

"No! Portia!" Zerin cried. He let go of the reins and, while trying to dodge her hooves, fell backwards. He fell into the stream. Zerin expected it to be shallow, but the water went to his waist and the current was strong. He cried out as the water swept below his feet and dragged him away into the dark tunnel. Thoughts began to flow into his head. He was to going to drown in there. What would his mother do if she lost him too? What was going to happen to the kingdom without him or his mother?

"I'm too young to die!" Zerin cried out at his thoughts as he continued to travel down the tunnel. He noticed a twig, in the distance. He reached his hand out and gripped tightly to the twig. He smiled triumphantly.

"Aha! No stream will ever conquer the future-King Zerin!" Zerin cried out. He paused, feeling something dangling at his waist. He could see his sword moving violently underwater. It suddenly unhooked and the stream carried away the sword.

"No! Father's sword." Zerin cried out. He instinctively reached out and his grip of the twig slipped.

"Dammit!" Zerin shouted as the stream carried him farther and farther down the tunnel. The unwavering current thrashed him against the walls. He began to black out.

.:.

Today was the day.

Reni groaned, fixing her messy orange hair and brushing the dust out of her simple Ordonian outfit.

"Can I come down?" Link called to his daughter from upstairs.

"Yeah." Reni called, just as she finished putting on her blue Ordon wrap around her waist. Link used one hand to get down the ladder as he used the other to hold a plate.

"Happy Birthday, Reni!" He said cheerfully. Reni couldn't help but smile. Link held in his hands a small Ordon Cheesecake; Reni's favorite kind (considering it was the only kind of cake eaten in Ordon Village).

"Thanks." Reni smiled slightly.

"Come out when you're ready. We have a present for you." Link said, placing the small cake on the table beside her bed. By 'we', he of course was including Ilia and Ilielmar.

Link looked down on her, "I'm sorry, Reniah, but Ilia and I have to head out for the day," He said sadly. Reni glared at him.

"Gee, thanks again." Reni crossed her arms. Sure she didn't enjoy Link and Ilia but she did want them to at least be around for her birthday. Link gave her an apologetic look.

"I'm really sorry! I promise, we'll be home later tonight with another surprise!" Link smile softened her glare. He stood up and headed toward the ladder but stopped. "Oh, and Ilia made you that cake. So, please try to be nice today." Link gave her a knowing look and headed upstairs.

Reni stared at the cake. She then angrily stabbed the fork into it and shoved a rather large piece in her mouth.

"Jeez." Reni said to herself with a mouth full of cake, "I might not appreciate it but I might as well enjoy it."

.:.

Reni walked into the kitchen with the empty plate.

"Did you like the cake?" Ilia asked Reni, taking the empty plate from her.

"It was good, Ilia." Reni nodded, trying to be nice. Ilielmar smiled.

"Ready to see your birthday present?" Ilielmar seemed very excited. Reni smiled and nodded. Link pulled an item hidden inside a large cabinet. Reni knew exactly what it was.

"A fishing rod!" Reni exclaimed.

"A fishing rod." Link nodded, repeating her.

"Are you going to catch a fish for dinner?" Ilielmar asked.

"Of course!" Link nodded. Reni took the fishing rod and examined it with excitement.

"Let's go catch a couple now." Link smiled, "So Beth and Loris need something to prepare for tonight." Reni nodded quickly and rushed outside the tree house with Link in tow.

"Oh, I love seeing those two bond." Ilia smiled, pulling her son close.

.:.

Nearly everyone was outside today, enjoying the pleasant day.

Link and Reni walked out to the small bridge behind their house. Talo's home stood by the bridge. He stood outside picking up pumpkins from the patch outside in his yard.

Talo had grown tall and strong since he was a child, although he was a little bit plump. He used to dream of becoming a warrior like Link but when he watched Rusl make a sword one day, Talo took an immediate interest in the craft and instead became a blacksmith. Talo still kept his hair short and choppy still wore the red bandana from his childhood. Reni noticed that Talo always had stains on his hands from making weapons and an intricate tattoo designed on his upper left arm. Brown stubble lined his square jaw.

"Morning, Link. Happy Birthday, Reni!" Talo greeted them with a large toothy grin.

"Morning, Talo." Link and Reni said in union.

"Mind if we borrow the dock to fish for a little?" Link asked Talo politely.

"Sure, go ahead. Take as long as you need." Talo smiled.

"Thanks, Talo." Link said. They walked behind his house to a small dock that was a few inches above the surface of the lake water.

"Okay! Ready to catch a fish?" Link said. He was so excited about such a small activity.

"Yep." Reni said.

Link began to speak as he held the rod, showing movements as he spoke, "So, fishing is like a battle between an angler and his next meal. You have to turn the reel blah when you blah blah. And blah blah blah, blah blah blah..."

Reni zoned out. She just stared at the water. The fish swam around in little circles. Reni remembered how when she was younger she would swim in the water and try to catch the fish with her bare hands. It didn't work. She tried exploring the rocks beyond the village but there wasn't much to explore. Just rocks...some moss...and more rocks...and...

"Reni!" Link's voice called her back to reality.

"Huh? What?" Reni blinked, obviously confused.

"Why don't you try?" Link said, raising an eyebrow and handing the fishing rod to Reni.

"Uh...sure." Reni now regrets not listening to Link. But fishing couldn't be that hard. You just swing and wait for a fish. Reni did so. She swung her arm back and the hook went flying. It just so happened to hook onto a tree behind them. She swung her arm forward, tearing off a whole bushel of leaves with it. Link stared. The leaves landed in the water. Reni stared at the leaves.

"Oh! I got some bait!" She joked nervously with him. Link smacked his forehead.

"Try again. This time, don't go so far back." He sighed. Reni nodded, and she tried again. And again. And again. And again, and again, and again, and...

"Okay, stop!" Link sighed, grabbing Reni's hands as she was just about to swing back. Reni blinked.

"Let me...catch you a birthday fish." Link smiled nervously, "Before you hook onto someone's ear or something…" Reni nodded in agreement and handed him the rod.

"I used to fish all the time when I was your age in Ordon! I once even used fishing to help me find the 'monster' that was infiltrating the Zora Domain!" Link laughed, recalling his adventures. He pulled the rod back carefully and perfectly landed it in the water. Reni scanned the water and noticed a floating shadow coming closer. Reni raised an eyebrow. Link noticed it too, and assuming it was a big fish, moved his rod closer to it. Although it took some maneuvering, the rod hooked onto the mysterious shadow. Link began to pull hard.

"I've got something, Reni!" Link cheered. Reni blinked, suddenly excited now that they've caught something. Link expected to reel with ease, but it was harder than expected. Link grunted, lifting his arms to pull the thing out of the water.

"Reni! Help me out!" Link called. Reni jumped over and grabbed the rod, pulling with him.

"Jeez, it's heavy!" She grunted, "What does this thing weigh?"

"We almost got it!" Link said. With one last pull, the large catch arose to the surface. Water splashed in Reni's face and she jumped back slightly. She slowly opened her eyes. Link had a surprised look on his face.

What they expected to be a gigantic fish was nothing but a young boy, who looked around the same age as Reni.

"Thanks, father." Reni smirked at Link, "I've always wanted a boy for my birthday." She said jokingly, placing her hands on her hips. Link blushed at the comment and began pulling the boy to shore. Reni looked around; there was a floating object in the water nearby. She bent down to pick it up.

"It's a sword..." Reni gazed. The scabbard looked old but the hilt stunning and magnificent in contrast. She carefully grasped it and pulled out the blade. She nearly gasped at the beauty of the blade.

"Reni!" Link called her. Reni quickly shoved the blade back into the scabbard and turned around. Link knelled over the boy that they found. Reni walked over and observed the boy as well. He must be royalty. Reni could tell by the Royal Family Crests embroidered into his clothes but the item that gave it away was the crown upon his brunette locks.

"Talo! Call for Ilia!" Link called to Talo, who had watched the scene for afar. Link searched for a pulse on the boy's neck.

"He's not breathing." Link said in a worried tone. Reni shivered, clutching the scabbard. She really didn't this as the kind of catch for her seventeenth birthday.

"Reni!" She heard her father call for her. She dropped the scabbard at the dock and rushed to his side. She watched as Link pumped his palms onto the boy's chest with his hands.

"Come on...live..." Link said between gritted teeth. A few seconds later, the boy opened his eyes and began to cough wildly. Link and Reni sighed in relief. The boy rolled over and continued coughing. Link patted the boy's back, helping him to cough out all the water. He stopped and collapsed back into the grass. Link checked for a pulse once again.

"He's breathing. He just passed out." Link said. Ilia ran over, with Talo at her side.

"Talo told me what happened!" Ilia said, her voice flooding with worry, "Is he okay?"

"He's alive but he's just unconscious. Help me carry him to Ilia's house." Link said, lifting the boy by his shoulders. Talo ran over lifted his legs, and he and Link began to carry the boy to the house. Reni looked behind her at the scabbard.

"It's probably the boy's." Ilia said, looking at the scabbard as well.

"Yeah. He's probably some big prince or something." Reni shrugged, picking up the scabbard. Ilia picked up the fishing rod and they followed Link and Talo into the house.

.:.

Zerin slowly opened his eyes. He was in a room, lying on a mat placed on the floor with a pillow under his head. He had no clue where he was. The sun shone through the curtains, spreading light in the room. He took a few glimpses around at the humble style of the place he was in. He noticed several unfamiliar faces staring at him and blinked once more.

"W-where am I?" He asked with a lost stare.

"You're in Ordon Village. We, well, sort of found you in the lake." Link explained to him. Zerin nodded slowly. He felt for his head, feeling the crown. He felt his chest and his arms, making sure that everything was in place on his body. He looked down and gasped loudly.

"What is it?" Reni asked.

"My sword is gone!" Zerin panicked.

"Sword?" Link blinked. Reni remembered the sword she found and reached behind her for it.

"Is this your sword?" Reni asked him, showing him the scabbard she found. His's eyes widened.

"Y-Yes!" He said, quickly grabbing it from her.

"It was floating in the water where we found you..." Reni said.

"T-Thank you!" The boy said, squeezing the sword to his chest. Reni crossed her arms, that sword must have been quite special to him. For whatever reasons, Reni didn't want to know.

"You look familiar." Link said, stroking his chin at the boy, "Mind if you tell us who you are."

Zerin was so preoccupied with everything else that he never got a good look at his saviors. He looked at the man who just spoke and sent out another gasp.

"You're the Hero of Hyrule!" The boy recognized the man on spot. Reni raised an eyebrow and Link merely chuckled.

"Not anymore. I'm just Mayor of Ordon. It's clear that you know me, but you still haven't answered my question." Link said as he helped the boy to stand. The boy looked at Link with a triumphant look.

"Why, you must know me! We've met before! I am Prince Zerin of Hyrule! Son of the Great King Zerin and Queen Zelda and first heir to the throne!" The boy introduced himself gallantly, standing tall at the end of his introduction.

"Ha, should have known." Link said, shaking the boy's hand. Reni raised an eyebrow.

Link turned to you Reni, "Do you remember Zerin-"

"Prince Zerin." Zerin corrected him correctly. Reni rolled her eyes. Link chuckled.

"You remember Prince Zerin, right, Reni? It was that one time I brought you to Castle Town and we visited Queen Zelda." Link explained to Reni.

"The memory is very vague." Reni said.

"I do not recall such a time." Zerin said, flipping his hair slightly.

"No surprise there. You two were both only toddlers." Link said, "And you only spent one day together." Link said, recalling the memory very easily.

"Not to be rude, but do you think you could find some dry garments for me?" Zerin asked, standing in a slightly awkward pose from how his clothes clung to his skin.

"Of course, I brought down some of Ilielmar's old clothes for you wear. I'm sure you'll fit into them. Just change in the first room down the hall. I'll just hang your outfit over the fire to dry." Ilia said, handing Zerin a nicely folded set of clothing. Zerin smiled and nodded thankfully and walked down the hall. Reni looked at Link. She was now resting her elbow on the table. Link did the same. Reni chuckled quietly.

"Well, this was quite an interesting morning."

Link chuckled in reply, "Happy Birthday, Reni."

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Talo:** When Talo was young, he looked up to Link and dreamed of becoming a sword-fighter. Talo gave up his dream of becoming that after Colin defeated him in a sword fight when they were young teens. After that, Talo went to visit Malo in Kakariko Village. Malo took Talo to Castle Town. There, Talo met a blacksmith and became his apprentice for a couple of years. After that, Talo returned to Ordon Village and made weapons to sell at Malo Marts across the land. Talo is still a bit immature and often jokes around with Colin, who remains his good friend. Secretly, Talo wants a rematch with Colin. He's secretly interested in Ilia...and Loris...and Beth. Psh-pawsh, Talo's interested in any woman he meets. But unlike his younger brother, Malo, he isn't much of a ladies' man.


	4. The Birthday, Pt 2

**KAPPALOCK: **The birthday continues. More presents.

**Last Update: **12/16/11

.:.

"Mind if you explain to us how you got into our lake?" Colin asked.

Ilia's home had received a few extra guests once word got around town about the Prince of Hyrule floated into their lake. Colin had come over with his wife, Beth, and their son Ultasi. Ultasi was with Ilielmar, and Beth had usually hung out with Ilia. Ultasi sat on the steps of the staircase with Ilielmar, watching the scene. Ultasi looked just like his mother, with his large blue eyes, high eyebrows, and freckles on his nose.

Zerin blinked at Colin's question. He sat at the table, holding his golden crown and washing it with a rag. Ilia had given him a long sleeved tan shirt and dark brown trousers to wear in place of his wet clothes. Without the crown on or his royal garments, Zerin could've passed for an average Ordonian.

"Uh...yes...that's a good question...? I'm not sure..." Zerin thought hard, "I guess it started when I was in Hyrule Field with my knights. I was viewing the land before I take the throne in three months."

"Three months? How old _are _you?" Reni asked with disbelief, leaning against a wall beside Zerin and eyeing the young prince.

"I'm sixteen. I'll be seventeen in three months." Zerin explained.

"That's still early to be taking the throne." Ilia said, bringing over a platter of bread for the guests.

"Well, my mother's current condition calls for, as she would say, necessary action." Zerin said with an unconvincing chuckle. Link furrowed his brow in concern.

"P-Please...continue." Colin asked Zerin, his voice tinted with worry for the Queen's well-being.

"Well, I was in Hyrule Field with my guards. We stopped by this stream for a rest. Then out come these Bulblins stampeding right toward us and attacking! The last thing I remember is falling into the stream and now...I'm here."

"Bulblins?" Reni blinked. The name was from her father's stories.

"Strange…there haven't Bulblins around since you defeated Ganondorf, Link." Colin said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, either way, you're lucky you escaped and didn't drown in that stream." Ilia said, now bringing a platter of pumpkin tea, "Nearly all of us have taken a hit to the head by those dreaded creatures." Ilia said, remembering the day in Ordon Spring with Colin and Link; the one that started his adventure.

"We have to head home for a bit. See you tonight at the celebration, Reni." Colin smiled, holding Beth's hand. After a quick goodbye, they left. Ultasi stayed in the house with Ilielmar.

"We're going to have to start heading out soon." Link said to Ilia, looking outside through a window.

"You're leaving?" Zerin asked him.

"We're just going out to deliver some goat cheese and milk to this village. There will be a celebration tonight for Reni's birthday; you're welcome to join, Prince Zerin." Link said with a smile. Reni smiled back slightly; still a little irritated they were leaving on her birthday.

"You're not taking me back to Castle Town?" He asked with disappointment in his voice.

"I'm sorry. I'm afraid there's not much extra room. You're welcome to stay here for the night. We'll go to the castle and tell your mother that you're safe with us." Ilia said. She turned to Reni, "Would you please help him if he needs anything?" She asked.

"Sure." Reni sighed. Zerin turned around and took a good look at who Ilia addressed. Reni and Zerin stared at each other for a moment. Zerin narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her appearance before turning his head away. Reni raised her eyebrows with a frown.

"Link, you should probably go and get your sword and shield." Ilia said, remembering the Bulblins Zerin mentioned. Link nodded and they left the house. He looked back as he walked out the door.

"We'll be back later Reni, just in time for the celebration." Link said to Reni. They said quick goodbyes and left.

.:.

"So it's your birthday?" Zerin inquired, "Well, my apologizes for interrupting the…err…fun, Reba. That was your name, correct?" Zerin said formally. They sat outside Ilia's home on her steps. Reni sat beside Zerin while Ultasi and Ilielmar stood a couple feet away. Reni blinked at the fakeness of Zerin's apology.

"It's Reni and uh…apology accepted...I guess."

"You're turning seventeen, correct?" Zerin asked, ignoring her correction and still cleaning his crown with a towel, "I shall be seventeen in three months myself. Of course, my celebration may be a _little_ bigger. Do you have a mirror?" Zerin asked.

"What?" Reni blinked, confused by the bragging between questions.

"Did I stutter?" Zerin looked at her, "I need a mirror so I can put on my crown. You know, it's shiny and glassy and when you look into it you can see yourself!" His sentences were dripping with heavy amounts of sarcasm, "Or have you village folk never heard of them? That explains that orange mess on your head."

Reni blinked, obviously insulted. "What?" She repeated herself between gritted teeth. Zerin rolled his eyes and sighed. Reni began to pat down the back of her hair in response. Zerin looked over at Ilielmar and Ultasi, who watched the scene in surprise.

"Uh...there are a couple mirrors...in the house...on the wall…" Ilielmar said quietly, "There's one in the closet by the stairs."

"Very good." Zerin smiled, standing up and walking into the house.

Once he was gone, Reni was quick to anger, "Farore, what a jerk!" She shouted, crossing her arms.

Ultasi said stroked his chin in the same manner his father did, "He seems...very nice." Ilielmar stayed unspoken as he watched Reni silently curse the Prince.

"Reni, Aunt Lorie had invited me and Ilielmar to come down and collect Fairy Tears with her. Care to join us?" Ultasi asked, chuckling at her fits of anger.

Lorie was Colin's younger sister. She usually spent her time down at Ordon Spring collecting fairies and selling their tears at Malo Mart. The village knew her for her beauty, but also for her obliviousness. To bluntly put it, Reni didn't like her. She also didn't like how Ilielmar was so infatuated by her. Lorie was too old for him and Reni knew that Ilielmar should like a girl with a head that also has a brain.

"Love to..." She said in a sarcastic voice, "But I can't. I have to baby-sit the Prince." Reni said, smirking at the pair. Just as she said this, Zerin left the house.

"Behold, peasant folks." Zerin boasted, tapping his crown lightly. Reni rolled her eyes. Ilielmar and Ultasi let out snorts and giggles. Zerin noticed this and glared at her. "Why do you roll your eyes at your Prince?" He asked her.

"You're so absorbed in yourself, you know that?" Reni chuckled mockingly. Zerin raised his eyebrows at her brave statement.

"It's called confidence." He argued.

"No, it's called arrogance." Reni retorted.

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

"Stop this foolishness!" Zerin said, stamping his foot. Reni blinked.

"Did you just stamp your foot...?" She asked, chuckling slightly. Before Zerin could reply, a woman had gracefully interrupted the group.

"Are you the famous Prince of Hyrule?" A gentle voice asked. Zerin turned around to see a girl with long, silky blond hair. She blinked her bright hazel eyes innocently in the Prince's direction. When she walked, her bare feet seemingly floated off the ground. Around her arm was a woven basket filled with empty bottles for catching fairies.

"Aunt Lorie." Ultasi introduced, "Meet Prince Zerin." He said.

"Good day, Prince Zerin." Lorie greeted with a soft-spoken voice and a small curtsy. The young lady's beauty stunned Zerin for a few seconds. However, he regained himself and smiled; at least this woman had manners unlike the crude girl next to him.

"We'll be heading toward Ordon Spring now. See you two later." Ultasi smiled.

"See you." Ilielmar said. They walked away with Lorie.

"Nice brother you have there." Zerin said casually, looking at his fingernails. There wasn't much sarcasm to his voice so Reni could tell he meant his statement.

"Who, Ilielmar? He's not my brother." Reni said.

"Then I suppose that nice woman...Ilia, that's what her name was...is not your mother?" Zerin asked.

"No. Ilia isn't my mother. Where did you get that from?" Reni said, a bit offended at the statement.

"I just guessed..." Zerin said, "So where is your mother?"

"You sure are nosy." Reni glared at him. Zerin smiled casually.

"I'm just curious about how you village folk live." He replied, stretching himself, "How about a tour?" He inquired to Reni.

Reni stood up without responding. She then sighed heavily, "If you want."

"Good." Zerin replied with a tone full of arrogance.

"As you can clearly see, we are at the steps of Ilia's home." Reni said. Zerin crossed his arms, not very interested. She took them a little further and pointed to the creek in front of them.

"The streams connect to the lake you showed up in. If you swim down farther in the lake, you see more rocks! And moss too!" Reni gave a fake grin.

"You swim in _that_?" Zerin said, his face full of disgust, "The fact that I was drowning in it is torturous enough, but to bathe in it for fun? You village folk sure are unsanitary."

Reni groaned, "Let's just continue."

She led the Prince around the rest of the village. At each stop, Zerin made a point to comment on the tasteless look of the humble homes and brag about his wonderful castle. He did this at _every _stop. When she took him to the ranch, he took the opportunity to boast about his magnificent horse in his _wonderful _castle. Actually, Reni was pretty sure he didn't even look at the ranch. He spent most of his time staring up at the sky as he talked about himself. Reni didn't know how much more of his talking she could take before she snapped. As she took him to Ordon Spring, she repeatedly envisioned throwing him back into the lake where they found him. She would've done it too, but she thought of her father and held back.

"It's alright. Can't stay I've seen better…" Zerin said apathetically and then remained quiet for a while. Reni sent a silent thanks to the goddesses that he didn't say anymore.

"And last, outside the village is where I live with my father." Reni smiled motioning to the tree house when they approached it. She turned around to Zerin, clasping her hands behind her back, "And that concludes the tour."

"Really? This village is made up of houses, a lousy ranch, a boring spring and one single shop. And… not much of a shop either." Zerin commented.

"Most villages are only made up homes and a few shops." Reni said, sitting on a nearby rock sunken into the ground and propped up her chin on her palm, "Or so I've heard…" Reni lamented at her inexperience in travel. She looked back up at the Prince, who was surveying the village with a harshly judging stare. She chuckled, "You know, I'm a bit jealous."

"Of course you are. Everyone is jealous of a prince." Zerin said with a flip of his hair. Reni stared at him with annoyance.

"You get to view the country and see Hyrule." Reni continued, "I'm stuck here in this boring village, taking care of goats."

"Too bad for you. Unfortunately, village goat girl, I don't give a damn." Zerin said, giving Reni a new nickname that she didn't really like the sound of. She glared at him, although she knew he wouldn't care. She sighed and turned her head to the side, looking over her right shoulder.

This prince was such a bother. All he did was fix his crown, and then complain, and then annoy her, and then brag, and then fix his crown again. He wasn't anything like his parents, who were modest and caring. This boy was exactly the opposite of modest. But, he would be gone tomorrow when her father will take him back to the castle. And then, he will go on his big, amazing journey of the vast unknown of Hyrule with his knights and guards...

"That's it." Reni whispered to herself.

"What's it?" Zerin asked, turning toward her.

"So, you mentioned you were going to travel Hyrule with knights earlier? Whatever happened to them when you fell into the river?" Reni asked.

"You didn't answer my question." Zerin said.

"Oh just ignore it, I was talking to myself. Now answer mine." Reni said hastily.

"Hmm..." Zerin placed a hand to his chin, "Oh, yes! Those knights! Finest knights in Hyrule, indeed!" Zerin said with a heavy amount of sarcasm in his voice, making various arm movements, "They left me in my moment of need against those horrid creatures! I bet those terrible knights couldn't even fight, wouldn't you agree?"

"Oh yeah, of course." Reni said casually, although not honestly interested.

"Hopefully when I return to the castle, my mother will fit me with better guards. Of course that's not for another day or two. Until then, I'm stuck here." Zerin continued to rant until Reni chimed in.

"Interesting." Reni said. She turned and faced him, "What if I could get you out of this village a bit earlier than planned?" Reni offered.

"I'm not going out into Hyrule without a bodyguard." Zerin said.

"I'm not useless. I have some training with a weapon of sorts." Reni said, showing him the slingshot attached to the band around her wrap.

"A slingshot? It's nothing but a child's play thing." Zerin crossed his arms.

"Not the way I use it. I am a master in the art of sling...uh, slingshot-ing...and have turned it into a weapon of mass destruction." She was lying of course. She had yet to use the thing. Either way, Zerin bought it.

"Reta!" Zerin smiled at her with a sudden bolt of energy. She jumped up and stood up at his sudden enthusiasm. He continued, "You could be my guard!"

"It's Reni….and…you would allow a village goat girl to guard such a mighty prince like you?" Reni said, smirking at him.

"I can make an exception if you can promise to get me out of here." Zerin nodded.

"Tonight." Reni smiled, holding out a hand.

"Tonight." Zerin smirked and, although reluctant, shook her hand to seal the deal.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Ultasi:** The son of Beth and Colin. Ultasi is around the age of eleven, a bit younger than his best friend Ilielmar. Ultasi takes mostly after his mother and enjoys helping around the shop. His father tries to get him to take an interest in sword fighting and, you know, man stuff. However, Ultasi constantly rebuffs him. Ultasi is also mature for his age; they suspect he gets this from always hanging out with Ilielmar.

**Lorie: **Colin's younger sister. She collects Fairy Tears and sells them at Malo Mart. She is ditzy and spacey but she's so graceful she practically floats on air. She's known for her exquisite beauty and has many suitors in Castle Town. Ilielmar is infatuated with her.

**Beth:** As a young girl, Beth became infatuated with the idea of knights in shining armor and princes and whatnot. She had a crush on Link, but he was too old for her. She tried to woo Prince Ralis, but he was too fishy. She always had a tiny crush on Colin after he saved her from those ugly creatures in Kakariko Village but she never put too much thought into that. As a teenager, Beth was very flirty; going to Castle Town constantly to flirt with all of the young boys. It wasn't until she saw Colin defeat Talo during a battle that she realized that Colin was her knight. Beth runs the Ordon Branch of Malo Mart and is best friends with Ilia. She occasionally visits with her friend Luda in Kakariko Village.


	5. The Celebration

**KAPPALOCK: **I wish my birthday was three chapters long…

**Last Update: **12/16/11

.:.

"Well, Reni, I'm sorry to tell you that Link and Ilia aren't going to be home in time for your celebration tonight." Beth said, holding a letter the traveling mail carrier had just dropped off. She stood at the base of the tree house, looking up to Reni. Reni sat outside the home, sitting on the ledge precariously. Beth's eyebrows furrowed, "I just got the letter. Ilia wrote me everything I need to do for the celebration. So that's in order. But they said they have something special for you. It'll have to wait until tomorrow." Beth winked. Reni smiled.

"It's okay, Beth." Reni said, swinging her feet.

"Where's Prince Zerin at?" Beth inquired.

"Oh, he's with Ilielmar at Ilia's." Reni sighed. Beth nodded.

"Just checking." She turned and walked back into the village. Reni smiled mischievously to herself.

"Perfect."

.:.

Ilielmar bounced outside. Everyone was setting up for the celebration tonight. Prince Zerin walked beside him, still dressed in Ilielmar's old clothes.

"We don't have birthday celebrations for the people in Castle Town. Of course, we only have celebrations for royalty...such as me. I remember my tenth birthday. What fun!" Zerin chuckled as he told Ilielmar of his royal life. Ilielmar kept up a smile and nod in reply to everything he said, "It's kind of cute that you have birthday parties for every villager every year. That'd be difficult with all of the townspeople. But your village has such a small number, so it's okay." Ilielmar didn't pick up on the prince's condescending tone.

"Yes, that's right." Ilielmar smiled, "You know, other than the birthday celebrations; we have one really big celebration called the Ordon Festival." Ilielmar explained.

"Interesting." Zerin said, although he truthfully wasn't all that interested.

"It really is! It welcomes autumn and the coming of the harvest. It's three days long, with each day filled with all sorts of stuff like storytelling and dancing and a feast!" Ilielmar eagerly explained as Zerin listened, although the prince still wasn't interested at all. "It's in about two months. You should come down and visit. It'd be real nice having you down here again!"

"Hmm...I'll have to think about it." Zerin said, although he knew that he wouldn't ever take part in little village festivals. Nevertheless, Ilielmar smiled pleasingly.

"Come on, Ilielmar. Quit chatting it up. There's work to be done at the ranch." Reni walked over, carrying a large stick over her shoulders. Hanging on the ends of the stick were two buckets filled to the brim with water. Ilielmar grinned at her.

"Why don't you come with us, Prince Zerin? Or you can stay and help everyone with decorating. I know how you just love to help us village folk." Reni smirked at him. Zerin glared at her.

"I've already seen the ranch," He retorted. Although he had to admit, he would much rather watch goats than set up for a party- something he has never truthfully done. He looked back at them, "But I wouldn't mind watching you village folk in your natural element." Zerin smiled falsely, clasping his hands together.

.:.

Reni lifted the stick over her shoulders and set down the two buckets in front of Rudio at his stable for him to drink. Link had taken Epona with him and Ilia to Castle Town. Ilielmar lightly petted Rudio's mane. The goats grazed in the field. Zerin mentally admitted that their pretty blue coats impressed him. He looked around the field and realized that he never got a good look at the ranch yesterday when Reni showed him it.

"It's all so...quaint. Do you round these creatures up or something?" Zerin sighed, his reaction obviously fake.

"Look, if you don't want to be here, go back to the village. They could always use an extra hand." Reni rolled her eyes at him.

"No, no, its fine." He said, raising his hands in defense. Reni walked over and jumped over the fence. Ilielmar followed her afterward. Zerin remained on the other side. Ilielmar looked at him with a confused expression.

"Aren't you coming, Prince Zerin?" He asked.

"No." Zerin replied, "I don't like animals. I have a horse. Her name is Portia, but she's an exception." Ilielmar shrugged and followed Reni. She was over by a female goat with a large belly. Reni softly petted her and she bleated loudly. Zerin took notice of it.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked.

"She's just pregnant." Reni said casually, "Due any day now."

"It's kind of exciting." Ilielmar added, "Baby goats are the cutest." He was at the side of the stable, gathering goat feed to put inside. Zerin didn't care.

The sun began to set. Reni jumped over the fence and sat in the ground beside Zerin. She watched as Ilielmar herded the rest of the goats into the stable. Reni turned to the prince and smiled.

"Do you...ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?" Reni asked him casually.

"No. I feel nothing at all as dusk falls. Stop your mindless babbling." Zerin said rudely, trying to ignore her. Reni glared at him.

"I'm not babbling." She argued, "You know? It's like the twilight hour or something. My father asks me that question. He says he's always sad when he talks about it." She said sadly, reminiscing.

"Is there a point to your story?" Zerin said to her.

"I'm just trying to make conversation. You're so rude. Maybe I won't be your guard for tonight. You can fight scary monsters all by yourself." Reni retorted, "I was just pondering my thoughts out loud anyway…I wasn't asking your opinion."

"That's dumb. You definitely were asking my opinion. Everyone asks for my opinion. I'm a prince. Now, you stop being rude or I won't let you be my guard." Zerin crossed his arms. Reni raised an eyebrow. She needed him for the escape she planned. Couldn't get past that gate without a little trickery.

"Fine." Reni reluctantly gave in.

"Good." Zerin replied quickly to her. Reni glared at him.

"Great." She said, trying to get the last word.

He saw into her competition and swiftly replied, "Fan-"

"Are you two fighting again?" Ilielmar sighed as he climbed back over the fence. Reni and Zerin turned away from each other in reply. Ilielmar sighed, "Well...I'm sure that the celebration is about to begin, so let's head back to the village..."

.:.

"Happy Birthday, Reni!"

The cheers rang throughout the village as Reni blew out the candles on her cake. Lights hung about the village. Beth and Colin placed the food on a long table. Everyone stood around a large fire conversing happily with one another.

"I must say, I did a pretty good job. If Ilia were here, she'd be proud." Beth smirked.

"I'm sure she would be." Reni replied. After her conversation with Beth ended, Reni turned her head to see the rest of the celebration going on.

Her eyes scanned the scene. Ilielmar and Ultasi sat on the edge of the larger bridge, their legs swinging carelessly off into the water as they ate. Talo and Colin stood a few feet away, chatting it up. Talo was once again picking on Colin; who could now successfully reply with a good comeback to his taunts. Lorie and Beth were now chatting, although you could tell that Beth wasn't having a good time talking to Lorie. Reni sighed, the celebration was nice but she remembered how there wasn't much to do.

Over by Malo Mart was a pillar, covered in layers of grass and moss with a ladder of vines down the side. Reni decided to rest there, climbing up and sitting alone at the top. Watching the prince all day wore her out. Once this thing was over, she could finally leave this place. She still wasn't too happy about leaving with that boy...but once she was out of here she was going to ditch him somewhere. Somewhere safe though; she'd still feel guilty if the prince died out in the wilderness because of her. She sighed and laid down her back as her feet swung over the edge. She sighed, this was relaxing. Just laying down and looking at the stars. Although it wasn't completely quiet with all the chatting below, at least nobody was bugging her or shouting her name...

"Reni!"

She scowled. Now someone was shouting her name. She shot up at the familiar voice and looked over the edge to see Prince Zerin, now fully dressed in his royal garments, trying to climb the vine ladder. She scowled at his interruption of her relaxing moment.

"Look who finally got my name right…" She groaned, "What do you want?" Zerin gave up on climbing up the vines and dropped back down. It wasn't much of drop since he didn't go very high.

"That's not a kind way to address your future king." He replied, "But it is your celebration, so I'll forgive you this time." He jumped back up the vines, taking on the climb again. Reni groaned. Did he have to come up here and stay with her?

"Thanks." Reni said with complete sarcasm. She rolled her eyes at his several weak attempts, "Here...let me help you up." She became tired of watching him struggle and reached down. She pulled him up by his arm and he pushed up with his feet, eventually reaching the top of the pillar and getting on the flat platform.

"Thank you." He said with an almost-sincere smile, "Now, what're you doing up here?"

"Avoiding you." Reni said quickly. Not exactly what she was doing but she liked how it sounded. And she liked his reaction; the obviously insulted look on his face.

"Stop doing that, I only have so little patience." Zerin said.

"Oh, I can tell." Reni said.

"You know, it's going to be hard keeping you as a guard if you're going to act like this the entire time." Zerin commented, tossing his head to the side and sticking his nose in the air.

"Me?" Reni blinked in surprise, "You're the one who's...ugh, never mind. There's no point..." Reni sighed. She rested her chin on her palms and blew away a piece of hair. Zerin looked at her, curious about what she was going to say but at the same time knowing that he did not want to hear her again.

"You're no fun." Zerin said, turning around to climb down the vine ladder, "I'm going to go down there where I will find polite people. I will see you tonight, correct? Our plans are still good?"

"Yeah, yeah." Reni said, now resting freely. Zerin finished climbing down the ladder. It was much easier than climbing up. He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. He had no clue what her problem was. Everyone enjoyed talking to the prince except for her. He turned around, only to come face to face with a short freckled boy.

"Hello, young peasant boy." Zerin groaned. Ultasi crossed his arms.

"So, what're you and Reni's plans for tonight?" Ultasi said. Ilielmar was at his side. Zerin blinked.

"I have no clue what you are talking about." He crossed his arms.

"Don't deny it! We heard you talking!" Ultasi rubbed his chin, "Sounds like something is going on between you two!" He twirled his finger in a circle and then suddenly jabbed Zerin in the chest playfully. A devious smirk was on his face.

"What are you getting at?" He asked, confused.

"As my mother would say; late night rendezvous?" Ultasi raised an eyebrow. Ilielmar giggled at the term, blushing in embarrassment. Zerin's expressed twisted into a disgusted scowl.

"Wha-? No! Never!" The fact that Ultasi would think that he would even give her _that _kind of time and day was appalling! "You're completely ridiculous for thinking that! She has no manners whatsoever and neither do you for imposing such thoughts onto me." Zerin crossed his arms and tossed his head once more to emphasis his point. Ultasi raised an eyebrow and took a step back.

"S-Sorry..." Ultasi stuttered. Ilielmar chuckled. Zerin shot the boy a glare and marched off.

"I told you that you were wrong, Ultasi." Ilielmar's quiet voice added, "I think those two absolutely hate each other."

.:.

"Are you ready?"

"Why are we sneaking out like this? I'm tired. Can't we do this tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow will be too late. We have to leave tonight."

Reni and Zerin's voice were the only ones that could be heard in Ordon Province. Zerin looked at Reni fully. All she had on her was a slingshot and a small woven bag hanging from her blue wrap.

"Is _that_ all you are bringing?" Zerin looked at her. She blinked.

"It's a pretty good slingshot. I haven't used it yet but it'll come in handy..." Reni replied.

"That's not what I meant! What about shelter? What about food?" Zerin said, almost bringing his voice louder before Reni shushed him.

"I have some Rupees just in case. And don't worry, nature will be our shelter and food is always available. We'll be fine." Reni smiled, "I can't take Rudio with us; the village needs him and Epona." Reni explained. Zerin's jaw had dropped at the thought of sleeping in the grass. She rolled her eyes.

"Am I'm guessing we're going to be wearing these same clothes every day, right?" Zerin raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that what people usually do?" Reni blinked.

"Your outfit is terrible." Zerin abruptly commented, "Why on earth are you wearing those colors together; and every day for that matter?" He said as he pointed to the pale pink tank top she wore over a light brown shirt with large sleeves that bared her shoulders. Reni tightened the orange band around her wrap as she glared at Zerin.

"I like the loose feel. It allows me to move when I'm handling the ranch. Plus, I'm not one for color coordination. But I've been told that blue goes with my hair." Reni casually joked.

"B-But..." Zerin stuttered, looking at his outfit.

"Oh please," Reni rolled her eyes, "If your outfit gets dirty, just wash it like we do. And it doesn't look uncomfortable so I'm sure you'll survive."

"Whatever." Zerin crossed his arms, "I'm really starting to rethink this…"

"It'll be fine, you big baby. Now listen, you're our ticket out of here. Lorie always comes out here at this time of night to catch fairies. Father gave the key to her so she could go to Faron Spring for more fairies. She won't give me the key, I've tried. But I figured out that she'll definitely give the key to you. So, you're going to get the key and we're going to get out of here." Reni explained.

"What...?" Zerin blinked, confused. Reni rolled her eyes and pushed him.

"Just go!"

Reni waited at the gate, out of the sight of Lorie as Zerin entered Ordon Spring. The fairies floated around. Their twinkling lights distracted Zerin, mostly because they floating right into his eyes. Zerin swatted them away and approached Lorie. The young woman sat on her knees in the water, but turned when she heard him nearby. Zerin was in awe for a second by her beauty under the lights. The fairies danced in her hair and around her face and illuminated her best features. She flashed a white smile in the Prince's direction and Zerin felt the blood rush to his cheeks.

"Ah, Prince Zerin." She said, "Isn't this lovely? It's my favorite part of the job." Lorie said in a whisper.

"T-that's great." Zerin said walking over. Just as expected the key was in her basket at her side. He leaned over her shoulder and pointed the key, "Can I have that?"

Reni smacked her forehead. Farore, he wasn't supposed to just ask for it!

"Sure." Lorie smiled, handing him the key, "I can't even remember what that darn key is for!"

Reni nearly swore aloud at the unbelievable situation. Was she that stupid? Zerin appeared beside her with the key, opening the gate. The lock dropped heavily the ground and the gate swung open. Reni looked past the long wooden bridge to the rocky path before them. She inhaled deeply. Zerin looked at her and she looked at him.

She was finally out of Ordon.


	6. The Woods

**KAPPALOCK:** And now their adventure begins…I'm a bit worried …

**Last Update: **12/18/11

.:.

Reni collapsed into the dirt. They were now in Faron Spring. Although it was still the middle of the night, they didn't have time right now to stop and take a long rest. In a few hours, the village would awake and see that they had left. Someone would come looking for them, so Reni knew they had to get far enough away that they wouldn't catch them.

She thought this through. The first place they would look for her would be Castle Town, of course. She'd have to hold up on her plans until later.

Zerin stretched, "Well, this is nice. A little spring. Looks exactly the same as the last one but whatever." Zerin shrugged. Reni dipped her hand into the spring water, watching the ripples it made throughout. She sighed, it smelled so fresh. It smelled like freedom.

She stopped up and looked at the Prince, "Let's continue. We need to get some distance before the sun rises."

"But I'm tireeeed..." Zerin moaned, "And the sun is sure to rise soon, can't we stop now?"

"Come on, keep walking. When we find a good place to stop, I promise we'll get some sleep." Reni sighed. She resisted the yawn that tried to overcome her. Reni stretched her arms up high, but paused in midstretch. Reni's hylian ears perked up when she heard a faint noise in the distance.

"What's wrong, Reni?" Zerin asked, noticing her odd behavior. He paused, hearing it as well.

"It's the middle of the night; we should be the only ones in Faron Woods...right?" Reni said in whisper. Zerin inched toward her.

"What if it's a Bulblin?" Zerin said, his voice shaking.

"D-Don't be ridiculous...there are no Bulblins here...I-I think...I mean, I wouldn't really know…" Reni replied. Zerin shivered as the noise came closer.

It was the sound of metal tapping against metal lightly. Zerin gasped audibly when they saw a light come into view from the moss-covered tunnel from the other end of the spring. The creature emerged fully in front of them.

"Wha-?" Reni blinked, "It's just a..."

"It's a monkey!" Zerin gasped, "With a lantern!"

Indeed it was. A small monkey stood before them, carrying a lit lantern to light her way. They could tell it was her because of the vibrant orange flower that was adorned to her fur. From the light of the flames, they could see her fur was a light gray and she bore a strange marking on her shoulder. Her big dark eyes stared at Reni and Zerin.

"A monkey...with a lantern..." Reni said slowly. She couldn't believe it even coming out of her mouth. She paused, thinking for a second. It sounded like she's heard this scenario before. "Oh yes...my father once told me about monkeys that he met in Faron Woods. Maybe this is one of them." Reni said, bending down slightly to greet the small creature.

"Don't touch it!" Zerin said, pulling her back, "You know what they say about wild animals; they're dirty and full of disease!" Zerin warned Reni. She rolled her eyes. The small monkey jumped closer to the pair. In reaction, Zerin jumped and clung to Reni's side.

"Kill it! Kill it, Reni! Before it kills us!" He screamed. Reni gave him a bewildered stare. The monkey skipped up to them and tugged at Reni's pant leg, pulling it in the direction she had come from. Reni blinked.

"Do...you want us to come?" Reni stuttered, noticing the expression in her eyes.

"You're talking to the monkey?" Zerin stared at her. The monkey made a few cheerful noises and began to leap up and down, clapping its hands in the air. It turned and leaped toward the tunnel. Reni began to walk forward.

"You're not seriously going, are you? I thought we had to 'cover some distance'." Zerin said, making air quotations with his fingers, "We shouldn't be playing little games with wild creatures." Zerin argued.

"If you ask me, she looks a bit worried. And this'll take us a little farther down. Plus, games are fun." Reni smirked, "Are you coming or what?" She asked. Zerin crossed his arms and reluctantly followed her and the monkey.

After following the monkey through a dark tunnel and passing through a dark meadow, they came to the end of another dark tunnel. They walked for a while. It was already dawn and the sky was a bit brighter; bright enough that they could see that they were deep into Faron Woods. The monkey led them further until they came down far to the forest, where they were now facing a long bridge made from a tree limb that led to a platform in a giant tree. Reni was a bit amazed by the scenery and looked around as she followed.

"I can't believe we are following a monkey." Zerin mumbled. The monkey stopped at the path, jumping and pointing to the platform. Reni looked up at the platform.

"It looks like...more monkeys." Reni noted, seeing two small, gray creatures and one large, white one. Reni looked at Zerin sternly, "They must be her friends. They look in a struggle, she needs our help."

Zerin let out a sigh. Reni ignored him and walked up the bridge. Zerin followed reluctantly. The little monkey pushed them forward from behind.

Just as Reni had guessed, the monkeys needed their help. White string stretched around the large white monkey, covering nearly all of its body. The small monkey pulled on the string but her efforts were useless. The two gray monkeys struggled in the same white string cocoon, trying to escape.

"Who could've done this?" Reni asked.

"More like _what _could've done this?" Zerin countered.

"Well...let's get them out. I'll take care of the small ones. You release the big one, Zerin." Reni said.

"What? No! The big one scares me!" Zerin protested. A muffled noise came from the large white monkey in response.

"Fine. You release the small ones." Reni groaned.

"No!" Zerin protested once more, "Monkeys are dirty, unruly creatures!" Zerin crossed his arms. Reni rolled her eyes.

"Fine. I'll just do it all myself." She walked over to the small monkeys. She tried to pull the string apart, but it remained sturdy.

"We need some sharp edge. We can probably cut it." Reni remarked. A happy cheer came from the monkey at Reni's discovery. She turned around and saw the monkey jumping up and down happily beside Zerin, pointing to his back. More precisely, the sword belted onto his back. Reni raised an eyebrow. Zerin blinked.

"You can't use my sword!" He said quickly, backing away.

"I don't have to." Reni sighed, "But _you _can try to cut through the string and release them." She begged him.

Zerin sighed, reaching his right hand over and taking out his sword. He looked into the blade and saw his reflection. His father would've used the sword to free the monkeys; Zerin would do the same. He looked at her and nodded. Reni, in response, sent him a slight smile and moved out of his way.

Zerin approached the small cocoons, holding the sword in both hands.

"Zerin!" Reni's voice interrupted him. She suddenly tackled the prince, avoiding the strike of an unknown assailant. Zerin heard an echoing slam second to theirs as they crashed to the ground. He ignored it; too focused on the fact that Reni just randomly tackled him and was now sitting on him.

"What is the meaning of this?" The prince shouted, struggling underneath her. But he paused his struggling.

There was a new sound now, Zerin listened. The cry of the monkeys rang wildly. Reni quickly got off Zerin and pulled him up without another word. Her attention was not on him but on the creature in front of them, holding the female monkey upside down by one of her legs. It was a skinny creature with shriveled, purple skin and a large, bulky club in its hand. Its arms were too long for its torso and short, stubby legs. Neither Zerin nor Reni had ever seen a creature like it; a Bokoblin.

"Gross." Zerin spat.

"This isn't the time for your comments." She said, reaching for her slingshot and bag of pumpkin seeds. Zerin braced his sword unsteadily. The little monkey dangled from the Bokoblin's grasp, shouting for help. Reni pulled the band back and shot a quick seed at the creature's head. The seed thumped the Bokoblin in the eye.

"I hit it!" Reni cheered in triumph.

It painfully cried out and dropped the monkey. It put a hand over its eye while the other hand furiously swung the club. Zerin's eyes followed the club and where it was moving. He quickly picked up the monkey in his arms just in time before the club could crash down on her. He would probably regret touching the monkey later, but he knew that now was not the time to worry. The monkey left his arms and found safety on his shoulder. Zerin held the sword forward, facing the raging Bokoblin.

It wasn't _just_ the Bokoblin that Zerin needed to worry about. The monkey began to scream again, pulling on the ends of his hair. Zerin turned to the side, only to come face to face with a giant spider-like creature hanging from the tree by its web.

Zerin screamed at the Skulltula, tightening the grip on his sword as he stepped back. Zerin swung at the creature. The spider dropped to the ground and blocked the attack with its front legs. The monkey jumped off Zerin's shoulders to a different safe area. The Skulltula stabbed at Zerin's feet, forcing him back to avoid getting hit.

Reni shot another seed at the Bokoblin, hitting its stomach. She had to admit, fighting was a lot more fun than she expected. She enjoyed the adrenaline rush from the danger. She smiled proudly when another seed hit the Bokoblin, but it countered and swung its club at her head. Reni yelped, ducking underneath its arm and running toward Zerin. She pulled him by his arm and dragged him out of the Skulltula's way to a cleared area. The Bokoblin and Skulltula followed, closing in on them.

"That goblin-thing's almost finished." Reni whispered to Zerin as they backed away from the creatures, "You hold off the spider and I'll take care of the goblin. Have fun." Reni smirked, jumping to one side.

"Wha-?" Zerin blinked, looking wide-eyed at her, "Wait, why am I fighting _with _you? The deal was that you're my guard, you're supposed to make sure I don't get hurt!" Reni ignored him. She already took on the Bokoblin, leaving him and the spider together. Zerin shivered, holding his sword in front of him, "Why do I always get stuck with the ones that leave?" He asked himself. The spider-creature took another inch toward Zerin, hissing. He twitched.

The Skulltula looked ready to attack, but stopped when it took a blow to the head from the female monkey with a stick. Zerin blinked at the monkey and its furious beating. The Skulltula dodged the next blow and turned around, squirting it with its sticky web. The monkey was helpless as the spider wrapped its body from head to toe in web. It struggled but eventually the web formed an entire cocoon around it. Zerin let out an exasperated sigh. Not only did he need saving, but now the monkey needed saving too. He quickly picked up the cocoon before the Skulltula had a chance to stab it. Zerin held the cocoon secured to his chest and his sword in his right hand.

Zerin swung his sword at the creature. It blocked each time. It spun in a circle, knocking Zerin backwards with its back end. Zerin collapsed into the ground, the cocoon and sword flew out of his grip. The Skulltula then leaped toward Zerin. He gasped, letting his reflexes act and rolled out of the way. The spider missed him, but Zerin got a good look at the creature's underside. The hard shell that sheltered the top portion of its body didn't cover the creature's abdomen.

"That's its weak spot…" Zerin whispered.

Reni dodged another hit from the Bokoblin. Each time she dodged, she launched another seed at its head. The Bokoblin swung the club left, right and then left again. Reni evaded the blows, backing down the tree bridge. She grinned widely; she was definitely winning against this ugly thing. She ducked her head underneath the club. She reached into her seed bag for more ammo.

"If anyone at home thought I couldn't handle it out here, they sure were…wrong?" Reni blinked, her hand searching in the bag. It was empty. The creature's club smashed into her stomach, sending her over the edge of the bridge.

She quickly gripped the edge for her life.

"Farore, that was close…" Reni grunted, her grip on the edge of the bridge tensing up. She looked down into the dark below and let out a sigh of relief. If she missed that edge by just an inch, it would've been the end for her. She could swear that she saw her life flash before her eyes seconds before she grabbed the edge.

Reni sighted the Bokoblin a few steps away, staring at her. It hobbled over to her, raising its club over her hands. She quickly leaped over a bit, the club barely missing her hand. Reni examined her situation. Her arms were starting to hurt from holding her weight, but she knew that she could still hang on. All that ranch work paid off on her arm strength.

The Bokoblin continued in its attempts to knock her off the ledge. Reni groaned as she continued to scuffle along the edge. She swung her legs back and forth until she had enough momentum to pull herself back up. She rolled onto her back, knowing what was coming next. The Bokoblin charged at her. Reni kicked her legs up at the creature and knocked it over the edge. Unlike her, it didn't reach the edge and plunged into the voice beneath the bridge.

Reni scoffed at the dim-witted creature and pulled herself up to her feet. She brushed off the dirt off her outfit in the same manner the prince did.

"Like I said, they were wrong." She said to herself with a clever look on her face. She blinked, "Am I forgetting something?" She wondered. She looked down the bridge at the small clearing, seeing Zerin fighting weaponless against the Skulltula.

"Zerin!" Reni called him.

He didn't hear her. The only thing he held was the monkey's cocoon, clutched to his breast. His sword was lying on the ground behind the Skulltula. Zerin braced himself, waiting for any possibly opening that he could use to get back his weapon. The spider snapped its legs and pinchers at him, forcing him back. He waited until the last possible second.

The Skulltula lunged at him. Zerin tumbled toward his sword. He picked it up and aimed it at the spider with a triumphant smile.

"Zerin!" She called him again.

"Reni!" Zerin heard her this time. He looked his way for a quick second, but the spider already pounced at him. Zerin slashed his sword at its pinchers and the spider crawled back a few steps to retaliate. The prince looked at the bundle in his arms, "Sorry about this, monkey." He looked back up at the girl, "Reni! Here, catch!"

"What?" Reni called back with a confused look. But Zerin already threw the cocoon at her. She reached out her arms and caught it before it hit the ground.

Zerin turned his attention back to the spider. Now that he knew its weakness, he just had to hit it. The Skulltula was large enough that Zerin could see the rim of its underbelly just standing next alongside it. Of course, Zerin lacked the tactical abilities his teachers tried to give him. So he decided to try for it and if it all went wrong, maybe that village goat girl would come help like she's supposed to.

Zerin braced his sword and waited for the Skulltula to move first. It jumped at him and Zerin moved away, albeit not as gracefully as he would've liked. He stabbed at its bare abdomen. It must've hit because the spider hissed in pain and jumped back. Zerin noticed how off-guard the Skulltula was and stabbed again. He took back his sword and the creature screeched. It backed against the thick trees, tipping over in pain and surprise.

There was Zerin's big opportunity.

The prince held his breath as he drove his sword into its abdomen. It shrieked one last time and became limp. Zerin exhaled heavily and withdrew his sword, thankful that it was finally over. The Skulltula exploded into a pile of ash. He let out a groan and sat himself down on the ground. He felt fatigued; that was way too much work for him.

"Well, look at that. You did it...and you saved the monkey." Reni smirked, holding the cocoon in her arms. Zerin weakly smiled, still catching his breath. His heart wouldn't stop beating so fast. He looked up at Reni.

"I...never...want to do that...again..." He said between breaths. She let out a chuckle and gave him her hand. Zerin reached up and took it. He faintly stood up, still shaking at the knees.

"You did pretty good out there." Reni began, "Despite how scared you looked the entire time." Zerin frowned and picked up his sword. He didn't think that the panic and fright was that readable on his face. He actually felt more confident in his sword skills now the fight was over.

"Gross." He said, now noticing the leftover guts polluting his sword. Reni rolled her eyes and walked back up the tree bridge.

"Now we can save the monkeys." She said. Zerin groaned, wiping the spider guts off with a leaf.

They approached the three cocoons at the tree. He cut open the female monkey's cocoon, releasing her. She quickly leaped at Zerin, embracing him for saving her. Zerin didn't mind much now. The praise made him feel nice. He cut through the other two cocoons, releasing two fellow monkeys. The female gathered with the other two and they did a happy little monkey dance, much to Reni and Zerin's amusement. Last, he released the giant white one.

"There. All of them are free." Reni announced. Zerin returned his sword to the scabbard on his back and smiled proudly.

"All in day's work for Prince Zerin of Hyrule." Zerin said gleefully.

"What's this about day's work?" Reni argued with him, "You probably wouldn't have even tried if I didn't convince you to-"

"My good sir and lady! You saved us!" A voice suddenly arose out of nowhere, interrupting Reni. Zerin and Reni blinked in confusion. Their heads both turned to the white monkey beside them. He smiled at them cheerfully, showing a mouth full of teeth.

"D-Did that monkey just...talk?" Reni stuttered.

"I am not a monkey, I am a baboon." He corrected her. His voice had an odd-sounding accent to it but ironically dignified.

"You talk?" Zerin blinked; his jaw wide open. The baboon rolled his eyes.

"Obviously." He said, his tone dripping with mockery.

"Monkeys aren't supposed to talk!" Zerin shouted loudly.

"I am not a monkey, I am a baboon!" The baboon snapped. Reni placed her fingers to her lips in confusion. "I am the chief of the monkeys here in Faron. You're probably pretty astounded at the fact that I can talk. You see, over the years I have taught myself to talk. It was a long, tiresome trial but I believe the result was very successful." It explained, "Oh, where are my manners? My name is Ooku." It greeted with a short bow.

"That's…very odd..." Reni said bluntly. The baboon raised a white eyebrow at her. "I'm Reni and this is Prince Zerin. You know...of Hyrule." She groaned as she recited his title.

"The monkey talked!" Zerin gaped, still in a state of shock.

"We get it. The thing talks." Reni scowled at him.

"For the last time, I am not a monkey or a thing! I am a baboon!" Ooku shouted furiously. Zerin quickly shut his mouth, as did Reni. Ooku sighed, "Well, it's quite an honor to be in the presence of the Prince of Hyrule. But besides that, please, sit down, sit down. Let me give you thanks!"

"Thanks? Now?" Reni blinked, looking around uncertainly, "…Why?"

"You saved us, of course! And when do you ever get to hear thanks from a talking baboon?" Ooku boasted.

"Uhh...good point." Reni mumbled, sitting down as she spoke. Zerin sat down beside her. The monkeys gathered around Reni and Zerin, although the female monkey took place in Zerin's lap.

"I see that Sari has taken a liking to you." Ooku smiled, noticing the monkey in Zerin's lap. "It's really quite surprising, since I remember you calling the monkeys 'dirty, unruly creatures'." It smirked. Zerin petted the monkey's head.

"I never said anything of the sorts." Zerin denied, "And Sari is quite a cute name. Better than calling you just monkey." He said as he played with her in his lap. Reni rolled her eyes at him. The baboon looked confused.

"Ah, yes…" The baboon started, "Well here you are! Two young heroes! You saved us! We must thank you properly!"

"Yes, I like being thanked properly." Zerin said, stroking his chin.

"No, no. We don't need any thanks. We're no heroes." Reni protested, "Just two kids passing by…running away from home…or something." She muttered guiltily. Zerin begged to differ, by the expression on his face.

"Now, now- don't be that way! We've nothing to give but there is this mystifying little grove. Of course, we've never been too deep into it but it is quite a beautiful place. I'm sure you two will enjoy resting up there. You look exhausted!" Ooku offered, "Sari will show the way. You will enjoy it, I promise!" Reni and Zerin stood up.

Reni objected politely once more, "Really, there is no-"

"No, we insist! Go, go!" He said, pushing them forward. Sari chirped as they walked forward and around a bend to a concealed path. They crossed wooden bridges and paths made of fallen trees until they made it to a concealed cave. There was no time to enjoy the scenery as Sari pressed them ahead continuously. She pointed to the entrance and jumped up excitedly..

"This must be it." Reni said. Sari crawled back into place on Zerin's shoulders. He petted her fondly. Sari pointed them into the direction of the cave again and they entered the grove.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Sari: **The cute, adorable female monkey that everyone loves. After Zerin had saved her, she developed a huge crush on the young prince. She likes all of the shiny objects he wears.

**Ooku: **The baboon chief. He's a very dignified baboon and knows how to speak. It learned by sneaking into Ordon Village and taking stuff, mostly history books, and listening in on conversations. He enjoys the history of Hyrule. He's currently studying the history of the recent war with Yugano.


	7. The Grove

**KAPPALOCK:** Oh yeah, Happy New Year.

**Last Update: **2/4/12

.:.

_"I promise you, my Queen, I'll come back when it's over. There is no need to say goodbye." He kissed her gloved hand. At her side stood their young toddler, his eyes wide and his tiny body clinging to her dress. He merely stared at his father with large hazel eyes._

_"You promise?" She said, a tear slipping down her cheek. He looked up from her hand to her blue eyes. She admired his features; his long brown hair tucked behind his pointed ears, his magnificent golden crown, and his short dark beard. His hazel eyes crinkled with smile lines as her fingertips traced over his strong and square jaw. His petted his son's head gently with his strong, but worn, hands._

_"I promise." He said once more. She could see the truth in his eyes and smiled. He softly kissed her, not knowing if that would be the last time he would do so. She broke away, struggling to keep away the tears. She looked down at her son. _

_"Say goodbye to your father, Prince Zerin." She said sweetly. The boy looked up at his mother._

_"Does he have to go?" The boy said. The man picked him up and playfully squeezed him, forcing a laugh out of the young child._

_"I'm going to miss you, son. But don't worry; I'll be home for your birthday." The man laughed._

_"Good! I'll miss you, father!" The boy said with a large grin. The man set him down and once more looked at his wife. She sadly smiled and he turned around, walking through a path of knights who saluted him every which way as he walked outside the large, magnificent castle. The crowd outside cheered for him wildly._

_They were all excited for the end the war the man promised and hi return as savior of the kingdom. However, she knew there was still that chance he wouldn't return home; that thought stayed in the back of her mind. She begged him not to go; but he was an honorable man who would put his life on the line for his country and his family. Another tear fell from her eyes as she heard the crowd cheer and whistle._

_"All hail King Zerin of Hyrule!"_

_She watched his back disappear into the crowd._

"No!" Zelda shouted, rising from her bed. She breathed heavily, catching her breath. Zelda knew that wasn't just a dream. It was a memory of the day her husband left for war; the last time she saw him alive. This dream stopped coming to her months after her husband's death, but now it had suddenly come up again. Zelda placed a hand to her forehead, bending down. These dreams started reoccurring the day after the guards had told her of Zerin's disappearance from Hyrule Field after the Bulblin attack. She was already terribly sick, but Zelda's health deteriorated even more with all of her worries.

Was it because she had watched Zerin leave the same way she watched her husband leave? She had watched their backs disappear into the crowds and she remembered that was the last time she saw him. She hated the thought of that being the last time she had seen her son.

Three "Queen Zelda?" Zelda looked over.

"Y-Yes?" She said in a panicked tone.

"I heard you scream? Is everything okay?" It was her nursemaid. The young woman opened the door a slight bit. Zelda sighed in relief.

"Yes, everything is fine. It was...only a nightmare." She answered.

"Oh, well that's a relief." She said, "A young man and lady, um...Link and Ilia, have requested your presence. It is about Prince Zerin."

The names grabbed Zelda's attention. "Link?" She muttered to herself. It'd been so many years since she last saw him with his own daughter. But at the same time, she felt hope for hearing her son's name in the same sentence. "Tell them that they will have my presence. Immediately." Zelda answered.

"Do you need help getting ready?" The nursemaid asked.

"I am near presentable, don't you think? But please help me get down the steps." Zelda said with a small chuckle, knowing her illness rendered her unable to walk very far by herself.

"Of course, my Queen." She said with a smile.

.:.

Zelda entered the throne room, approaching her large seat. She slowly sat herself down and looked up, "Send them in." She told the guards and they brought the two in on command. Although the hero did not wear the same tunic she remembered him in, she recognized his face immediately on sight.

"Link..." Zelda said sadly.

"Zelda." Link repeated. The nursemaid coughed into her fist. Link blinked, "Queen Zelda." He corrected himself. He and Ilia bowed before her.

"No need to correct them. They are friends." Zelda told the nursemaid. She was young. She must've not known that Link was the Hero of Hyrule. Zelda looked back the pair, "You have news about Zerin? Good news, I hope." She said with a weak smile.

"Uh, yes. Very good news! Prince Zerin is safe and sound." Link assured. Zelda smiled brightly, letting out a long sigh of relief. She placed a hand to her chest; feeling all of her worries disappearing. Zelda looked back at Link and he continued. "We found him in our small lake at Ordon Village and he is right now resting at Ilia's home with my daughter and her son."

Zelda smiled, "How is Reniah?"

"Growing up too fast." Link chuckled, "Today was her seventeenth birthday."

"They do grow up fast." Zelda agreed, "Well, thank you for the good news. What a relief. You and Ilia are welcome to stay for lunch before you head back to Ordon." Zelda smiled.

"The offer is tempting, Zelda, the food is always amazing…"

"Oh, let's stay Link! We'll be home before the celebration!" Ilia finally spoke, shaking his arm, "I've never been in a castle before and we just can't refuse Queen Zelda, can we?" Ilia said in excitement. Link sighed.

"I suppose we could stay for a little while..." Link said with a nervous smile.

"Oh glorious!" Ilia cheered.

"Very well, then." Zelda smiled. She looked at her nursemaid, "Tell the Royal Chef to plan for a meal for three for lunch."

.:.

"You, know, you need to work on those 'guarding' skills." Zerin cried in outrage, "They nearly killed me back there and you were all like 'Oh, why don't you take the giant, crazy spider and I'll just go off and fight this blue thing, la la la'. I thought we had a deal!" He shouted, raising his voice to sound like Reni when he 'quoted' her. Sari imitated his expression, pointing a finger a Reni.

"Oh shut up. The deal was that if you help me escape from Ordon, then I'll be your guard for your entire trip across Hyrule. I can't be your guard if I'm dead and I can't fight off two monsters with one slingshot. You're the one with the sword." Reni said, "Besides, I think you handled that monster pretty well...minus all of the girlish screaming." She smirked. Zerin's ears turned red from embarrassment and he tossed his head.

They were in the grove, as Sari had shown them. They sat on the path right by a small body of sparking, clean water with a few small waterfalls filling it up. The grove was empty and small but the water and the trees were enough beauty to take in.

Reni took off her brown sandals and sat with her bare feet in the water, enjoying the coolness of it. She sighed, resting her head back.

Zerin sat against the wall, with Sari at his side.

"What a nice restful place." Reni sighed, "I'm -glad you showed this to us."

Zerin let out a sigh in agreement, closing his ears, petting the monkey beside him, "Why yes, you can just...sit here and listen to the birds..."

"And the rustling leaves..." Reni said, naming another sound.

"And that horn..."

Reni blinked and looked up, "Horn?"

"Don't you hear it? Music!" Zerin said excitedly, "We must not be alone in this forest!" Sari clapped in excitement. Reni listened for the horn and indeed she heard it, playing a cheerful little tune. Reni smiled as it came closer.

"That baboon didn't mention anyone else in the grove." Reni said, standing up and putting back on her sandals.

"He also mentioned that they've never gone all that far in the grove either. Maybe they've just never came across them." Zerin suggested, stretching his hands in front of him. They listened as the music came closer and closer. At first it was delightful, but then Sari became suddenly anxious. She screeched in fear, jump to Zerin's shoulders. Zerin stood up; the music was right behind what they thought was a mountain wall.

"Something doesn't seem right..." Reni said. The passage suddenly disappeared and as it did, a little child marched down, playing a horn. Reni took a step forward silently. But the dirt beneath Reni's sandals disrupted her silent attempt towards the child. The music stopped abruptly as the boy took notice to Reni and Zerin ahead of him. It looked like a boy clad in orange from afar; but with a closer look, the boy looked more like some blue-skinned creature. It carried a lantern with an azure glow to it and crooked wooden horn. Reni and Zerin both shuddered at the large, eerie grin plastered onto its face and the wide scarlet eyes.

"Who are you?" Its voice was child-like. Its expression didn't move an inch. Reni answered slowly.

"Uh, we're just-"

It cut her off quickly by sounding its horn loudly. Suddenly, dropping from the trees above on invisible string were wooden puppets, with the same sinister grin plastered on their faces. Sari screamed, unsuccessfully hiding behind Zerin's back.

"Come find me." The creature jumped up and disappeared in a small twister of leaves. The puppets crept closer to the pair, surrounding them.

"Greeeeat." Reni groaned, not very happy with the idea of fighting once more.

"Look, Reni!" Zerin pointed towards the new tunnel the creature came through. Reni and Zerin could see the vivid light of the creature's lantern as it hopped away. The puppets began to flail their arms and bodies, knocking into Reni and Zerin. The prince unsheathed his sword and cut it across one puppet's wooden chest. The small incision did not look like it did much damage, but the puppet fell to ground, defeated, nonetheless. Both Reni and Zerin bore surprised expressions at how they defeated the puppets the instant they injured their bodies.

Zerin felt proud at his win, but there were still more surrounding them. Reni did not want to put up with these weak creatures, and while Zerin continued to fight the puppets with his rather novice moves, she dashed off in the direction the creature went. Zerin followed her, not wanting to be alone with the puppets. The tunnel led to another area, this one having large trees that had limbs shaped like floating platforms. The creature danced upon a platform to a quirky song from his horn.

"That horn is starting to get really annoying." Reni grunted. She pulled back to band on her slingshot and fired a seed at him. He stopped playing and stared at the girl.

"You don't want to play?" It asked her childishly. Reni merely shook her head. The creature looked angry now, stomping its feet loudly on the platform. It sounded the horn once again, making the puppets reappear. The creature disappeared in the twister once more, pressuring the game to continue.

"We have to keep playing..." Zerin said with a solemn look on his face. Reni nodded back.

"You can fight these, can't you?" Reni smirked at him as the puppets danced around them. Zerin confidently nodded back. As Zerin fought off the puppets surrounding them, Reni sprinted off, following the glow. Zerin followed slowly behind her, the puppets dancing behind him.

They caught the creature in various areas, hitting him each time and each time, he disappeared into his twister of leaves, leaving the puppets to fight. They came to a dead end; there couldn't possibly be anymore exits. The creature stood in the center of the room and Reni fired the last shot at him. He stopped playing his horn and looked at the pair. Sari came from behind Zerin and looked at the creature from his shoulder.

"You wish to enter the Temple of Time." He said. Its expression didn't change from the same mischievous grin.

"The Temple of what?" Zerin raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"No," Reni lowered her weapon, "We were jus-"

The creature's horn sounded in the middle of Reni's sentence. It heard all it needed. It stood up and once more, disappeared. The whirlwind of the leaves bigger this time, as Zerin could feel the wind go past him.

"That was fun!" Its voice sounded from nowhere, "Come back and we'll play again."

.:.

"That was a severe waste of time." Reni said as she stretched her back. After their strange misadventure in the grove, they returned to Faron Woods with the monkeys.

"No it wasn't. You met the Skull Kid!" Ooku said, "A legendary being, indeed!" There seemed to be an angry attitude with Ooku.

"It has a name?" Zerin said with disbelief.

Ooku scratched the back of his neck, "Well this is just not how I planned it to be…"

"Um, excuse me?" Reni scrunched her eyes, "Planned?"

"I was hoping that the creature would let you explore the Temple of Time, since you are the heroes' children, but it didn't because you responded too quickly and said no. It would've been another section in my research journal filled." Ooku said with dread.

"What's so great about this temple?" Zerin asked.

"Nothing you would understand. You are far too young and naïve. You certainly do not live up to my expectations or your parents'." Ooku sighed, crawling away.

"Well...what did you expect?" Zerin crossed his arms. Ooku turned around, his expression angry.

"I expected a strong young man who was afraid of nothing, just like his father! A young boy who knew what was right and had a noble, distinct attitude like his mother!" He shouted Zerin. The young prince, shocked by his words, took a step back. Ooku looked at Reni, "And from you...well, I expected to see your father's serious attitude and legendary sword skills." Reni crossed her arms and glared at the baboon. He continued his rant, "But all I see is a cowardly boy and brash girl! You are nothing like your parents."

"Hey! You can't judge us like that! And why are you so angry all of a sudden?" Reni snapped.

"I'm just disappointed for my research." Ooku said. Reni gritted her teeth, clenching her fist. Zerin sadly took Sari off his shoulders.

Reni took a step toward the monkey, "Why, I outta-"

"Let's just leave, Reni." Zerin said, "We are...obviously not welcomed here, anymore." He bent down his knees; saying goodbye to Sari, who was sad to see him go. Reni calmed herself.

"Y-You're right. Screw his 'research'." She said, turning and beginning to walk away.

"Goodbye, Sari." Zerin said to the monkey. She whimpered and wrapped her arms around his neck. Zerin smiled and after she let him go, he stood up and followed Reni. Ooku looked over his shoulder at Reni and Zerin, who were now leaving the woods.

"So where are we heading to next?" Zerin asked Reni.

"Farore, how should I know?"

"Didn't you bring a map?" Zerin asked.

"No." Reni blinked. Zerin smacked his forehead.

"Wait!" Ooku called to them.

"Well, what does he want now?" Reni groaned. Zerin turned around.

"Take this." Ooku showed them a worn, rolled-up piece of paper. "It's a map of Hyrule. It'll help you on your journey. It's very recent. Please take it. It's the least I could do as thanks for saving our lives since the first time wasn't really thanks..." Ooku said.

"Um… ok." Reni slowly took the map from his hands. The baboon hobbled away from the awkward situation without another word.

Zerin blinked, opening the map and looking at it. Reni smiled at him.

"Looks like we're going to Hyrule Field next!" She said with a mischievous smirk.

Zerin gulped in response, "Greeeat..."

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Skull Kid: **The mischievous fellow from _Ocarina of Time_, _Majora's Mask_, and _Twilight Princess_. He lives in the Sacred Grove and playing his horn, which can be used to summon puppets upon his enemies. That's pretty much all he's done for the past hundred years.


	8. The Letter

**KAPPALOCK:** This was an iffy chapter for me… probably because it gets real sappy.

**Last Update: **2/10/12

.:.

Link sat in his tree house, silent. Prince Zerin was gone. More importantly to him, Reni was gone. She left the village with Zerin. Link didn't know if they were still traveling out there together, but Reni did leave him a letter to say goodbye. But not forever, she'll come back home. She mostly just wanted to clear up that she did not run away _with _Zerin… romantically. Link scratched his chin; the thought really didn't cross his mind in the first place.

But it was clear that she wasn't returning anytime soon. Not until she'd seen what she wanted –no, _needed_ to see out in Hyrule. Link mentally admitted that it was stupid to keep her in the village all these years without a real reason. Link ran his fingers over his eyelids. But it made sense to him. He just didn't want his daughter to get caught in something she couldn't get out of.

After all that happened in Hyrule in the past decades, Link seldom left the village anymore. He was just too tired of being the great golden hero to fight anymore. Link saw things… people die right before his eyes; sometimes he was the cause of it. The shadow beasts he killed during his adventure were still people of the Twilight Realm, just in another form. True, it was for the greater good but that still didn't ease the guilt.

However, Link already accepted this fact and was ready to let his daughter go off on her own. It was going to happen eventually. If only he made it home earlier… if only she stayed for a few more hours….

Link was off in Castle Town earlier that day not just to advise Zelda of the fact that her son was safe but to pick up a few specially made items. He glanced at the brown, leather scabbard lying on the table in front of him. He ordered that for Reni's birthday. He already decided that it was her right to go out and it was his duty to send her out with the proper materials.

The hilt was silver, wrapped in tan leather bands. The cross-guard was a dark gold circle that wrapped around the hilt. A blue jewel lies at its bottom; all together it resembled the head of an Ordon Goat. Link hoped the sword would remind Reni of her home village.

Link held the note in his hands, crumpled up from his frustration.

What was he going to do now?

There was a knock at his door. "Link?" Ilia called to him as she tapped her fist on his wooden door. Link opened it to her, and the girl didn't hesitate as she invited herself in. Ilia looked sadly at the items on his table and then turned her stare to Link.

"Goodness, this is my entire fault. If only I didn't convince you to stay longer at the palace… we would've been home in time." Ilia groaned. Link merely shook his head. She sighed, "Silent as usual." She took a step towards a shelf in the corner of his room. The shelf held all sorts of trinkets, tools and items Link stored from his adventuring days but Ilia's attention was elsewhere.

"So...what are you going to do now?" Ilia asked him, as if reading his mind. Link was still at loss with a response. She bent down towards the blue trunk underneath the shelf. She ignored Link's silent protests and opened the chest fully.

"You know...maybe Reni had a good idea. It wouldn't be so bad to go out traveling again." Ilia smiled at him, pulling out a green and old tunic; the Hero's Tunic. Link looked at it, and then looked away. Ilia smiled softly, "I'm sure it still fits." She lightly chuckled. His response was more silence.

Ilia examined the worn fabric of the tunic; just a bit of tailoring it would be good as new. She took a step towards the old hero, "This time, you don't have to rescue anyone," She said, recalling how the grand old adventure started, "Why don't you just go and find her? And while you're at it, you can tell her all you want to tell her right now." Ilia said in a whisper. Link looked at her.

"...But, Ilia..." Link finally opened his mouth, but it was all a stutter.

"You know you have to." Ilia smiled, holding the tunic up to him to examine the size. "And you should probably check on Prince Zerin, if he's with her. Poor Queen Zelda might just over-worry herself again if she finds her son has disappeared again." She said with a playful smirk. Link chuckled.

"That's a...reasonable excuse." He said weakly, no truth in his words. He took the tunic from Ilia's hands.

Ilia looked up into his blue eyes. "Be careful out there."

"What about everyone at the village?" Link asked. Ilia turned away and stayed silent for a moment in response. She walked back over to the chest and took out his overused shield and his first sword that had been crafted by Colin's father, Rusl. She showed the items to him.

"Link..." She began, "After the attack on the village, I no longer saw the world as a safe place. I started looking for the danger in everything. I took the safest route for everything, even when it came to Ilielmar's father. But...the village is stronger than it used to be. _I'm _stronger. We're not as much dependent on you coming out of nowhere to save us all. I guess...we'll be just fine without you for a while." Ilia said sternly, "Just make sure you're home in time for the Ordon Festival."

Link stood stunned by her speech, but still managed to let out a soft chuckle in agreement. He took the items from her and looked at them for a second before looking back at her.

"Of course."

.:.

The next stop was the south part of Hyrule Field.

"What? We can't go! We're going to die! That's where those things attacked me! We're going to die if we go there!" Zerin cried, his arms flailing to express his feelings about the situation.

"No we're not!" Reni said, fighting the temptation to throw something at the prince's head, "Look, it's the only way to Kakariko Village and the only way to… well… everything else! We don't have a choice!" She pointed to the map to prove a point.

"B-but there were tons of them! Hundreds! Thousands, I bet! They all attacked at once!" Zerin cried, grabbing Reni by her shoulders and shaking her. Reni glared at him and pushed him off her. Zerin raised the back of his hand dramatically to his forehead and continued embroidering his story.

"We were surrounded! My guards and I were." Zerin sighed, "All twenty-three of my guards left me, the cowards they are!" Zerin lied with ease.

"Liar." Reni scoffed, "Last time you said you only had two guards!" He ignored her.

"They came out of nowhere! Their leader was huge, but their army was bigger! They attacked us and I fought gallantly, but alas, I was defeated… when they cheated and pushed me into the river. Those creatures do not fight fair. And if I only had so many guards last time, what makes you think we can pass through with just the two of us?" Zerin asked her.

"My dad made it past them all by himself, we can do it." Reni said with a grin, "And it doesn't matter what that baboon says; I'm my father's daughter and I'm sure I can do whatever he did!" Reni said confidently. Zerin blinked, remembering the baboon's harsh words and he dropped his head slightly. She stared at him, telling that the words still hurt him. She walked over to him.

"Listen, Zerin, don't let that chimp's words get to you." Reni said with an awkward expression on her face as she tried to cheer him up. "He's never even met our parents; he's only heard stories. He has no right to judge us based on what he's heard."

"But everything he heard was true." Zerin said, his voice sounded hoarse. Reni could tell he was about to cry and she rolled her eyes.

"Don't be this way!" Reni groaned. She then smacked the back of his head to snap him out of his sadness.

"Ow!"

"You're a Prince of Hyrule, get a hold of yourself!" Reni yelled at him, "You don't let anyone tell you who you are! You're going to be King...a-and with a little practice and some skill building...y-you're going to be a great King of Hyrule; just like your father! And you are definitely your father's son; don't let anyone tell you otherwise, especially a lousy monkey! You got that?" Reni yelled, pointing an accusing finger at him. Zerin looked at her with wide eyes in surprise.

"Thanks, Reni." Zerin said with a soft smile.

"Yeah, whatever. Being nice to a spoiled kid like you actually pains me." Reni said with a glare, rolling up the map and resting it on her shoulder. She turned around and stared walking, "You're holding us up. Let's go already." Reni groaned. Zerin smiled and followed her eagerly. Reni sighed, she probably just fluffed his ego with what she just did there; and she hated his ego most of all. But it's not fun wandering around Hyrule with a mopey Prince.

After some time walking they arrived at the entrance to Hyrule Field.

"So..." Reni started, glimpsing at the small river in the distance, "I'm guessing that if we fall into that water, we'll be sent right back to Ordon Village?" She turned her head so she could see Zerin from the corner of her eye. Zerin swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded slowly.

"Then we'll just stay clear of that." Reni nodded. She gave a small, reassuring smile to Zerin, "Don't worry. It doesn't look like there is any 'army' out today. I'm sure its fine." She added. Zerin didn't answer. They walked farther down into Hyrule Field. After sometime, they had already walked some feet and nothing had happened. But it still didn't feel exactly _safe_.

"R-Reni..." Zerin's voice interrupted Reni's train of thought for a second. He was quiet, though, so it calmed her.

"Not now, Zerin." Reni groaned, rubbing her chin. She was starting to become cautious of the area as well.

"So there's supposed to be a path around here that we go through." Reni spoke to no one is particular. She opened the map and stared at it for a while before replying.

"Uh...yes." He nodded, looking over her shoulder, "That leads to Kakariko Gorge."

"Oh!" Reni smirked at him, "That sounds like it's full of creepy things!" She added. Zerin frowned at her.

They stopped a small body of water separate from the stream. It couldn't have even been considered an entire body of water since it only went up to Reni's calves when she walked in. It was more like a giant puddle. It was fresh water, so Reni took this opportunity to sit at it and get a short drink. Zerin looked at her with a bit of disgust.

"You're drinking out of that? Do you know where that water has been?" Zerin looked at her.

"And you do realize that the water that you nearly drowned in last time you were here is your drinking water? That and the water in the Zora Domain, which is inhabited by the Zora's." Reni said with a smirk, "It's just water. It's never been anywhere but here."

Zerin rolled his eyes. Reni let out a groan.

"You should probably get something to drink; we have quite the trip to Kakariko Village." Reni said, cupping some water into her hand and turning around to face Zerin, "See, it's fine. This field is fine. Nothing bad has happened and nothing probably wi-"

Reni was stopped short when a flaming arrow flew in between Reni and Zerin. She let out a cry of surprise and dropped the water in her hand. Zerin jumped back, his eyes locked on the arrow until he turned his head to the side. Reni heard the water splash as groups of Bulblo-riding Bulbins circled them. Reni stared at them in awe, having never seen a creature like that before. Zerin grabbed Reni's arm and started pulling Reni away.

"Reni! This would be the time to not stare and start running!" Zerin said as he began to run, although he was slowed down trying to drag Reni. Reni was snapped back to reality and ran along with him. Zerin avoided running to the stream, although it was obvious that Reni was trying to make her way toward Kakariko Gorge, which they would come in contact with the stream if they headed that way. They were stopped suddenly by another pack of Bulblins that ran in front of them and blocked their way.

"I told you, Reni! I told you this field wasn't safe!" Zerin said. They were back to back now as the Bulblins circled them.

"We are so screwed..." Reni said with a nervous smirk on her face.

"Why are you smiling?" Zerin asked her, looking at her expression.

"Excitement, I suppose." Reni said simply. Zerin rolled his eyes. The Bulblins made no moves toward them but just stared, a few conversing in a language that neither could understand. About four or five then jumped off their Bulbos, carrying ropes. Zerin screamed and huddled closer to Reni for protection.

"Zerin! Use your sword!" Reni shouted at him. The prince took out his sword and pointed it at a nearing Bulblin. The Bulblin stared at him and it could see the fear in Zerin's eyes. It inched closer and Zerin twitched. The Bulblin took its club and swing it at Zerin's hand and knocked his sword aside, leaving Reni and Zerin defenseless.

"Zerin!" Reni yelled at him "Look what you let it did! You're not supposed to let them knock your sword away! You're supposed to kill them!"

"I don't know what to do!" Zerin yelled.

"But you handled that spider-thing so well, and you can't handle these?" Reni yelled.

"There's only one of me and tons of them!" Zerin said. The Bulblins grew tired of hearing Reni and Zerin fight and threw several looped ropes around Reni and Zerin. The Bulblins started dragging Zerin away first. Reni followed after him.

"Oh! They're not going to kill us! They're just taking us as prisoners!" Zerin said with a nervous chuckle, although he was just trying to make light of the situation even though he knew there was a bad outcome. The Bulbos moved out of the way as the Bulblins dragged them forward by the ropes. Reni noticed the rest of Bulblins in the distance, building a great fire. Over that fire, there was a stick. It was put in such a way that to Reni is resembled how meat was cooked over a fire. Wait a second...!

"Farore! They're going to eat us!" Reni struggled now even more, stopping in her tracks and pulling against the rope.

"What?" Zerin screamed, "I'm too young and too important to be green creature food!" Zerin yelled, pulling on the ropes as well. The remaining Bulblins got back on their Bulbos and came toward Reni and Zerin, attempting to push them towards the fire with force by the Bulbos. Zerin looked down at the creatures. They were short and only reached up to his waist, but they were powerful.

"Look, little green men, I don't taste good." Zerin said. They ignored him and did a quick, forceful tug that caused Zerin to trip and fall to the ground. They continued to drag him nonetheless; which annoyed Zerin because they might be getting grass stains on his shirt. With all of their dragging, he couldn't stand. Reni was still pulling against the Bulblins.

Zerin shut his eyes quickly. Perhaps this would end quickly.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

Bulblins like their humans slightly burnt. If they can't get humans, they tend to eat their own riding pigs. This is a sad fact of life.


	9. The Yugano

**KAPPALOCK:** Oh Link, what a tsundere daughter you have…

**Last Update: **2/12/12

.:.

When Zerin opened his eyes, all the Bulblins were gone. There was a new pounding in his head although Zerin couldn't recall how it happened. Before he opened his eyes, he heard the sound of club against sword, running, and the screams of the creatures. Then he opened his eyes and all he saw was the empty field and the fire put out by an unknown figure. Zerin didn't see but he no longer felt the flames on his skin. He tried to stand up and realized he's still tied up and lying on the ground. On his chest, Zerin felt like a fish while struggling to get up. He rolled over and rose more easily. He looked at the scene around him and remembered that he wasn't alone when the Bulblins attacked.

"Reni?" He called out to her. He didn't see her standing anywhere around him. He felt a presence come up behind him and hold the rope that bound his arms. Zerin struggled a bit, not knowing who the figure was.

"No need to struggle," The voice had a strange deep foreign accent. He could tell that it belonged to a male, although still sounded young. He cut the rope and Zerin was free. Zerin stood up weakly, about to turn around to see who freed him.

"Zerin!" Reni's familiar voice called to him. Zerin still did not get a good look at the person who untied him, as Reni distracted his attention when she ran over to him, freed as well. Zerin's headache made him a bit woozy when he stood up so quickly. He should've been thinking about what might've saved them, but his focus was on whatever was in front of him; which was currently Reni.

"Hey Zerin! It's okay, the Bulblins are gone!" Reni said, noticing his daze and tapping his cheek as if to wake him up. At this, Zerin blinked back to reality. Reni smiled, "They scared them off."

"They?" Zerin asked. Reni rotated his head toward a group of five to his left. Reni's grin was wide; although Zerin's expression was mere shock.

Their rescuers were a group of Yugano.

"See?" Reni said, "They came at just the right moment and took care of those Bulblins!" Reni said. She was standing up when they attacked so she got a clear view of everything, unlike Zerin; who was on the ground with his eyes closed.

Although Zerin second-guessed himself; they might not be Yugano like he though. Many people in Hyrule have naturally tanned skin and he was just judging too quickly. Zerin took another look at them. He could still tell that they were not Hylian. He glanced at the symbols painted on their clothes; a large red oval, with two smaller circles on either side. His expression changed from shock to scorn. He assumptions were correct. He was saved by Yugano? His father must have rolled over in his grave at the thought. Zerin looked at them closely and analyzed their appearance.

There were five of them, all of different heights and different ages. They possessed the common Yugano traits; tanned skin and short pointed ears. Their shirts were all made of white silk, styled in different ways, and their trousers and shorts were black. They all wore worn brown boots, damaged from walking so many miles. Red-tinted bandages covered various limbs; probably battle injuries.

There were only two women in the group. One of them was the tallest and had a strong, muscular build and carried a large, majestic steel hammer on her back. The younger girl was much shorter and Zerin took note to the black headband with a single red gem she wore in her dark auburn hair. Her gray eyes were large and speckled with bits of yellow sun. She was the only one who carried a pack, although it didn't look too heavy.

She stood beside a young man. He was the second tallest and his short and messy hair was the same shade as the young girls'. He wore the same headband as well, perhaps a family symbol; another Yugano custom. On his back was a quiver of arrows and in his right hand, he held a simple wooden bow, although a sword hung from his belt. Zerin supposed him and the young girl were related. The shortest of them all must have been the youngest as well. Although black bangs graced his forehead, his steel-blue gray eyes could still be seen; meekly staring at Reni and Zerin. A green stripe came from his jaw to his cheek on each side of his face. A small and plain dagger hung from the band at his waist.

Last, there was a boy who stood out from the rest. He was in the middle for height, although the others stood behind him. A thick strand of black hair on the left side was adorned with a single red bead. Similar green stripes graced from his jaw line to his cheek; another family symbol between him and the short boy. The stripes appeared again on his large and torn cloak and on the scabbard of the plain sword hanging from his belt. The face looked familiar to Zerin, but he could not bring up a memory. The steel eyes noticed his staring and then suddenly pulled out his attention with words. "That was quite a close one." Zerin recognized the voice belonging to the one who cut the ropes around his arms. A playful smile was on his face as he spoke, "It's a good thing we came around when we did." His arms crossed over his body, and Zerin took notice to a mark on his left hand.

"We can't thank you enough." Reni said. Her eyes crossed over to Zerin, waiting for him to say something.

"It's no problem." He said. His hand reached out to the pair. Reni waited for Zerin to shake it first. The prince looked up at the boy and shot him a glare. There was no way he would thank a Yugano for saving him. However, the Yugano boy noticed his scowl and drew back his hand quietly.

"Is there a problem?" The boy's eyes traced over Zerin; analyzing his appearance just as Zerin had analyzed his. Reni looked at Zerin, waiting for an answer as well. She was ignorant of the current situation going on between Zerin and the Yugano.

"You are all from Yugano, aren't you? I'd recognize that symbol anywhere." Zerin said. Reni blinked, a bit surprised at the fact. The boy merely chuckled in response.

"I'm guessing you're the Prince of Hyrule?" He asked. Zerin took his question as an answer to his.

"You'd be correct." Zerin answered, "What're you doing here in my country? Don't you have your own country to stay in?" Zerin said, obviously not very welcoming toward the travelers.

"Zerin!" Reni snapped at him for his rudeness. Zerin knew his words were not kind; but he remained distrustful of any Yugano after the death of his father. At his words, the tall man in the back looked ready to attack Zerin. However, the boy put out a hand, motioning for the group to remain calm.

"It's okay, Jayem, he has every right to be angry." He said sadly. Zerin blinked. The boy gave Zerin a calm smile as he introduced himself.

"My name is Ezaiu. My father was Centir, King of Yugano."

Zerin's blood boiled at the name. He took a step back.

"You're not welcome here." Zerin spat at them, "Why have you come to Hyrule?"

Ezaiu remained calm even though Zerin's anger was evident. He answered slowly, "We have come for help."

"You don't deserve our help or my thanks." Zerin said, starting to turn around. However, Reni grabbed his shoulder and turned him back around to face the Yugano. Expressions were different upon each face. The tallest were angry for his unkind words and ungratefulness. However, the shortest were sad and bore sorrowful expressions, as if sorry for the war.

"Please, Prince Zerin," Ezaiu said, "Accept our apology. The war is over. What happened was between your father and mine and I shall not continue it between us. All we have come to Hyrule for is relief for our country. You are our only neighbor and our country's small numbers cannot rebuild our entire kingdom."

"Take that up with someone else. This country has its own issues and your matters are of no importance to me." Zerin said, crossing his arms. Ezaiu frowned. Reni then stepped in between Ezaiu and Zerin with a nervous smile on her face.

"Well, enough of this! _We_ appreciate your heroic deeds very much." Reni said quickly, trying to change the conversation mood. The Yugano noticed her actions and the angry expressions calmed. Reni then pushed Zerin back as she spoke, "I'm sorry on the Prince's behalf. It was nice meeting you; we must be on our way!" Reni's tone was fast-paced as she pushed Zerin in the opposite direction.

"Wait, please!" Ezaiu called out, "Allow us to take you back to our campsite in Kakariko Gorge. No need to worry about the monsters, it is cleared out. Join us for lunch and dinner." Ezaiu said. He offered this with no consent from the rest of the group; he surely was the leader.

Zerin was quick to anger, "Never in a mill-"

Reni clamped a hand over his mouth, "We'd love to!"

"Good. Come, it's this way." Ezaiu said, turning around and beginning to walk in the opposite direction. Reni sighed in relief that the fighting had temporarily ended.

"Ow!" Reni screamed as Zerin's teeth clamped hard onto her hand. The outburst gained a few stares from the Yugano. She pulled her hand back, going between examining it for bite marks and waving it back and forth to ease the pain. Zerin glared at her and the spit out the taste of her hand. Reni sent him an absolutely hateful glare.

"Why'd you bite me?" She snapped at him.

"Because your filthy hand was all over my mouth!" Zerin argued. They followed the Yugano. Zerin was too distracted by their bickering to argue about going to the campsite. Eventually his attention reverted back to his first matter. He leaned over to Reni.

"Why are we following them?" He whispered.

"Because it's nice! They did save us!" Reni replied.

"But they're Yugano..." Zerin argued.

"You need to stop. Like that guy said, the war is over. Don't go starting another." Reni argued. At this, Zerin shut his mouth. Reni looked back over to them, "And besides, they look harmless." She said. They both turned their heads and looked at the Yugano.

Ezaiu turned his head, glancing at Reni and Zerin as they bickered. It was obvious he had overheard them. Reni and Zerin twitched, turning away from each other and acting as if they had seen nothing.

They walked into Kakariko Gorge silently.

.:.

Their campsite was small. There were only five small beds set up. They couldn't even be considered beds; they were just five blankets on the ground. A small fire pit sat in the center. The Yugano walked over sat on their respected blankets silently. Not a word was said afterward. Things were still a bit awkward after Zerin's comments.

Reni and Zerin sat down in the grass. A small smile grew on Ezaiu's face as he looked over at the pair.

"I don't believe that proper introductions have been made yet." Ezaiu commented, "I'm terribly sorry for avoiding the topic."

"I don't care who any of you are." Zerin said loudly, crossing his arms and sticking his nose in the arm. Zerin then received glares from the same two Yugano. Ezaiu however still refrained from getting angry. Reni elbowed Zerin in the ribs.

"Ow..." Zerin moaned as Reni painfully nudged him.

"Please, Prince Zerin," Ezaiu said, "My friends are getting angry. We really do mean no harm." Zerin ignored him, rubbing his side where Reni had hit him. She had quite the arm strength. Ezaiu continued nonetheless, "I am not a king. I do not pose a threat to you."

"Yes, but you want to be king, don't you?" Zerin glared at him.

"Why are you threatened by my presence?" Ezaiu asked him.

"I am not threatened by you." Zerin replied, tossing his head to the side.

"Then why can't we make peace?" Ezaiu ask him. Zerin failed to reply. Ezaiu let out a sad sigh, "We weren't born to carry out the grudges of our fathers. If you're not threatened by my presence, then please, come over here and prove it. Shake my hand."

Zerin looked back over at him. He looked at the sadness in his steel blue-gray eyes and the angry expression that lied on the faces of Reni and the two Yugano. However, he looked at the younger two and saw their expressions were just as sad as the first. Now Zerin felt bad. He had been treating these people like creatures. They saved his life and all that this boy asked of him was to make peace. After all, the war was over. How was he to be a great king if he was going to hold grudges against other countries? And besides, Prince Zerin is threatened by no one!

Zerin stood up, and as he stood, Ezaiu did as well. Zerin walked over, the stares of all the Yugano and Reni on him as he reached over and took his right hand. At this, Ezaiu grinned happily and the anger and sadness of the Yugano melted away into happiness. Zerin himself couldn't help but smile a bit. Ezaiu then raised his left hand; the one Zerin noticed was marked, and placed it over Zerin's.

Zerin's body froze as images and scenes flashed before his eyes.

_A barren land; a desert full of sand and mud and rocks._

_The great city, Ataluzi was what it was called, lay in ruins. The walls of the great palace crumble into the sand, the tall white pillars falling as fighting goes on beneath the city. And then there was nothing but small houses made of dried mud. The sun was hot and the mud dried easily. There were people in those houses. People with tanned skin, wearing long white dresses and white wraps. Silk was abundant in the country, but worth next to nothing._

_The houses lay in the middle of the ruined city. It could not be rebuilt when they had no tools to rebuild anything. The war left them with nothing. No money. No law. Small villages were overrun by crime, bandits and criminals sought refuge in the small country. There were a few people who tried to stand up as heroes, but it wasn't enough._

_There was nothing left for the country._

Zerin pulled his hand back quickly. He blinked back to reality. He stared wide-eyed at Ezaiu, "What...what was that?"

"That was my country." Ezaiu explained. Zerin still looked confused. Ezaiu calmly continued, "I've been given a sort of power. It allows me to show others visions and memories though a touch of my hand, as well as other things. The power might be familiar to you. I believe it is called...the Triforce of Wisdom, correct?"

Zerin was shocked once more. "How can you have the Triforce of Wisdom? You are not Hylian! You are not even close! My mother used to bear that, how could you have it?" He questioned, raising his voice.

"Now, now, please don't get angry." Ezaiu said, raising his hands in defense, "It must've been passed to me for a reason, it just appeared on left hand one day." Ezaiu answered Zerin calmly, "I did not choose it."

Zerin calmed himself. News just keeps coming one shock after another, he didn't know how much more from these foreigners he could take. He then straightened up and looked at Ezaiu, "I see what you mean by the terrible state your country is in." He said. He held out his hand once more, "I believe we should start over." Zerin said. His expression was determined. Ezaiu smiled and shook his hand once more in agreement. "My name is Prince Zerin of Hyrule. My father was King Zerin and my mother is Queen Zelda. In three months I shall inherit the throne and be king of this country." Zerin proudly stated.

"My name is Ezaiu of the Prenta Family. My father was King Centir and my mother is Nalias." Ezaiu stated, his voice trying to be as proud as Zerin's. Ezaiu turned his head over to the youngest boy. The boy stood up and walked to Ezaiu's side. Zerin could easily spot the similarity between them. Each of them had decorated the left side of their hair with beads; but Ezaiu had only one while he had two. "This is my younger brother, Willis." Ezaiu explained.

"Pleasure to meet you, Prince Zerin." Willis' voice was meek and quiet. Zerin might have not been able to hear it if the others were talking. Zerin smiled at him. Ezaiu looked at the other Yugano, "I believe that my friends would like to introduce themselves." Ezaiu said stepping back. Zerin stepped back as well, standing by Reni, who remained seated.

The tallest woman stepped forward. Her black hair was styled into a bun and left two beaded strands of hair fall from the back and caress her shoulders. There were two upside-down, purple triangles tattooed under her eyes. "My name is Tamara of the Laneta Family." She introduced herself. When she spoke a soft smile came to her lips, the first they had seen after she spent most of her time glaring at Prince Zerin.

The tallest boy then stood up proudly to introduce himself. The way he spoke was not as formal as the others, although, his voice was much louder and stronger. "I'm Jayem. I come from the Ruesil Family." He was covered in the most bandages; covering around his calves, forearms and hands.

The young girl stepped to his side. "And this is my little sister, Delia." Jayem explained. She softly smiled at them, and her graceful smile instantly warmed their hearts.

Now everyone's eyes were on Reni.

"Why, it's been a while since you spoke." Ezaiu chuckled, "Now just who are you?"

"Huh?" Reni blinked, a bit distracted by everyone's instant stares. "Oh, I'm Reni!" Reni said in an excited tone.

"Reni what?" Ezaiu asked, expecting some sort of family name to come afterward.

"Just Reni." She said with a casual smile, placing her hands on her knees, "I'm from Ordon Village. We don't have fancy family names down there."

"You don't have a lot of fancy anything done there." Zerin added. The Yugano chuckled quietly in reply. Reni glared at Zerin.

"M-My father..." Reni said, removing the glare from her face, "Is Link, the Hero that saved Hyrule."

"Ah, yes, we've heard much about the Hero Chosen by the Gods. We spent some time studying up on the history and current events of Hyrule before we came." Ezaiu said, smiling. He looked at the Yugano, "Looks like we have the two descendants of the heroes right here." Ezaiu chuckled.

"So, are why are the Prince of Hyrule and Hero's daughter in Hyrule Field? And with only one weapon?" Delia asked. Not only was her smile heartwarming, but her voice was instantly soothing.

"Well, Zerin's on this trip across Hyrule that's required before he becomes king and I'm his bodyguard." Reni explained.

"Not a very good one, though." Zerin added. Reni was once again insulted. "We're on our way to Kakariko Village." He went on to explain.

"How nice. It's just right up ahead from here." Ezaiu said, "How about you stay with us for the rest of the day? We can escort you there tomorrow afternoon or so? It'd be nice to get to know you two."

"Sounds fine." This time, Zerin agreed to their request without hesitation. To this, the Yugano smiled and Reni did as well.

"How about some lunch?" Ezaiu chimed.

The Yugano caught some fish and brought it back to the campsite. They cooked over the fire pit. Reni and Zerin hadn't eaten since the celebration and were starving. Over dinner, conversation had sparked once more; although Reni and Zerin did not speak unless they were spoken to.

"So, are you two together or something?" Jayem asked, taking a large bit out of his fish.

"Jayem!" Delia scolded him for becoming so nosy and for talking with his mouth full.

"Together?" Zerin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know, like dating?" Jayem asked, "Do you have that whole bodyguard and royalty romance thing going on?"

Reni and Zerin both turned pink and were quick to answer.

"No! Not at all!" Reni and Zerin both said quickly and loudly.

"You shouldn't ask questions like that, Jayem!" Delia scolded Jayem.

"Why, then you must be married?" Ezaiu added with a playful smile, joking along with Jayem. Reni nearly choked on her fish.

"I would never marry a village girl! All she does for living is herd goats!" Zerin said simply.

"I do not!" Reni objected.

"Do so! I've seen your village! You live in a tree house and work a goat ranch!" Zerin argued.

"That wasn't my choice!" Reni replied. The whole group burst into laughter at their childish bickering.

"You two definitely aren't together." Jayem said, trying to hide his laughter.

"Of course not!" They both said. Ezaiu sat back and sighed. Reni took a large bite out of her fish; her cheeks still a bright red. The conversations continued as Reni herself asked a question for the Yugano.

"Did you walk all the way here from Yugano?" Reni asked, noticing the worn soles of their shoes.

"Unfortunately, yes." Ezaiu chuckled with embarrassment as he looked at his short boots.

"There's not a single horse in Yugano." Jayem chimed in, "And Yuganian cows aren't much for traveling."

"That must've been a terrible journey." Reni said, examining the bandages on their legs and arms. Tamara noticed her stares and looked at the tinted bandages around her left thigh. Ezaiu had bandages on his left forearm and over his trousers on his right thigh. Young Willis' lower calf and right wrist were wrapped in them as well. Jayem chuckled.

"Yeah, we got into some trouble along the way." Jayem answered coolly, "I sort of got into it the most." He pointed to the multiple bandages covering him. Reni eyes peered at Delia, who she had noticed was without bandages.

"I'm guessing you don't fight?" Reni inquired. Delia replied with a simple nod.

"Ah, no." She said, "I'm just more of the group's medic." A black belt around her sleeveless white silk dress held bags that contained bandages and medicine.

"I bet you guys have a lot of stories about your travel to Hyrule. How long have you been here?" Zerin asked.

"Actually, we had just arrived into Hyrule a few days ago. We came in through one of those large fields and just set up camp here." Ezaiu answered. He then stood up, stretching up tall, "However, we can discuss our tales over dinner. You must have a few as well."

Tamara, silent throughout the entire conversation, stood up as well when she finished her meal. She did not bother to converse with Zerin and Reni and walked away. Reni raised an eyebrow. Willis, the boy who was seemingly trained to not speak unless spoken to, finished as well and followed the woman.

"A bit quiet...aren't they?" Zerin said slowly.

"Tamara doesn't prefer to converse with company, although she has a good heart." Ezaiu reassured them, "If you just get to know her, I'm sure she'll start talking." Ezaiu's eyes flashed over to Jayem.

Jayem took his bow in hand and stood up, "I was a bit messy on my shots today when we were fighting those creatures. I might as well train a little until dinner." To this, Reni stood up.

"I'll join you." Reni said, following Jayem and by his side, "I'd like to see how one of these things work..." Their conversation became quieter and quieter as they walked away. Delia quietly stayed by Ezaiu's side, putting out the fire that cooked the fish and cleaning up the cups that contained their water.

"So, excited to be king?" Ezaiu asked, gently brushing dust off of the sleeves of his white shirt.

"Of course I am. I've been preparing for this for months." Zerin smirked.

"I see..." Ezaiu said. Delia quietly handed him another cup filled with water. The conversation grew quiet for a moment as Ezaiu took a quick drink. Ezaiu's steel eyes became fixed on Zerin and he slowly set his cup down. "If you ask me, you don't look so prepared."

"Pardon?" Zerin scowled at him.

"Not to be rude, Prince Zerin." Ezaiu smiled casually, "Aren't you a bit young to be king?" Zerin paused and shut his eyes. After a moment, he opened them and looked back at Ezaiu.

"Really? If you ask me, I'd say that four years old is a bit young for a king." Zerin replied. Ezaiu's eyes widened slightly at Zerin's comment.

"So you remember..." Ezaiu said slowly. Zerin now remembered where he had seen Ezaiu's face before.

It had been years ago, months after his father's death and the day the war ended. He was with his mother in the throne room. His mother was going to sign the peace treaty with the current king of Yugano, ending the war officially. After their old king's death, the mother of the young king decided that he could not rule a country. Zerin, only three, clung to his mother's dress as a Yugano woman walked in; a baby in her arms and a boy at her side.

The boy was his age. Zerin, too young to know who he really was, smiled at him. And the boy smiled back. Zerin remembered the face of the young boy and looked at Ezaiu's.

Ezaiu had been the four year old king, given a pen and forced to sign a treaty; a document that the child probably did not understand at all.

"Just now I did." Zerin said.

"The only thing that I regret about signing that peace treaty was that I didn't given a proper signature." Ezaiu laughed, "Why, at that age, I might have just scribbled my name in such a terrible form of penmanship. But, I suppose that it is good that I did sign, even though I had no clue what I was doing."

"Right." Zerin joined in his laughter.

Zerin vaguely remembered that after the treaty was signed, he asked his mother if he could go and ask the boy to play. His mother had just carried him away as the woman and her two sons left the palace.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

Oh, gosh, I'm excited to write all of this, it's criminal.

**Yugano: **A small and frankly insignificant country. Its climate is very hot and it depends greatly on trade for a lot of things; although the country is known to have good farmers. They are the country that was at war with Hyrule some years ago. The war was sparked when the king claimed that the gods had given him power and he could take over Hyrule and give the country significance. Unlike Hyrule, women cannot be in power and thus, when the king died, the country fell into ruins because their ruler was a four year old boy. The people of Yugano share common traits of olive complexions and dark hair. Typical fashion consists of women usually wearing long simple, thin silk dresses and the men are usually shirtless and wearing silk wraps around their waist.

Jewelry and weapons are not a popular item among the people of Yugano. Only the royal family wore gold and not many had weapons. Women usually only wear jewelry for their wedding unless they are royalty and the Yugano think that it is odd for Hylian men to wear earrings. Their ears are pointed just like Hylians, although they are not as long. Typically, an important household would have some sort of significant attire or symbol that every member of the family would wear. Such as; for the Prenta Family, it is the green stripes on their cheeks and for the Ruesil Family; it is their headband. Children inherit the family symbol of their father; similar to the last name basis. Arranged marriage is a common practice in Yugano and it is arranged at a young age so the couple would grow together and get married when they're older. Their main livestock is the Yuganian cow. They have other small animals like hogs, birds, and lizards lying around the country. Another notable animal is the Yuganian Silkworm, so silk is abundant in Yugano. Although it is their only available fabric and is not as popular as silk made from other countries, and thus not much of a profit is made on it when trading with others.

They don't worship the three goddess of Hyrule. Instead, they worship one almighty god, Anuk-Ra who is depicted as having the boy of a man and the head of a falcon. Anuk-Ra advocates war, power and prosperity.

**King Centir:** The former king of Yugano and Ezaiu and Willis' father. Before the war started, Centir was having dreams of Yugano, far stronger and greater than it currently was, and the Hylians were at their service. To the Yugano, dreams are considered to be prophesies or visions of the future. His took this matter to his two most trusted priests; Tulor and Falud, a pair of devious old twins who used their illusions of magic to gain the trust of Centir, and they told him that his dreams meant that he would conquer Hyrule. They convinced him that he had been given the power to do so and Centir invaded Hyrule and declared war. Of course, Hyrule was a much stronger nation and the Centir decided that a one-on-one battle with King Zerin would finish off the country easily. He defeated the king; however, Centir had been mortally wounded during battle, and after returning home, slowly died. Some Yugano believe that the priests had tricked the king and planned his downfall. Others believe that the king was mentally insane. The rest say that both theories are correct. Most of Yugano doesn't consider him a hero any longer and resent him for the choices made. But there are some villages on the outskirts of Yugano where you can still find willing supporters.

**Nalias: **The wife of the king of Yugano and Ezaiu and Willis' mother. She and King Centir had met as children when her father set up an arranged marriage with her and King Centir's father; who was the King before him. She was not referred to as Queen, due to the lack of women royalty in Yugano; however she was treated as one by the people of Yugano. This was how it usually went. When King Centir had died, she had tried to stop Ezaiu from being crowned King but she was powerless. Months later, Nalias had Ezaiu sign the peace treaty and stop the war. A four year old couldn't run a kingdom; much less make political decisions on his own as he was expected to. When the people had discovered that she was trying to make the decisions for Ezaiu; the royal family was removed from the throne. However, no one succeeded the throne and the kingdom then finally collapsed. Nalias ran away with Ezaiu and Willis from Ataluzi and lived outside the city in isolation. Nalias and Centir were known to have a loveless marriage and many say that she had quite the number of affairs. Some blame Nalias for the current state of Yugano. Others say that she was just trying to help her son and blame nothing on her. The rest just completely forgot her existence.

**Ezaiu of the Prenta Family:** The forgotten king of Yugano. Ezaiu is eighteen, a year older than Reni and Zerin. He has a very calm attitude. Ezaiu was mostly raised by his father when he was still alive. Centir tried to teach Ezaiu at an early age about being king; still, Ezaiu was not prepared when he became one at four years old. I mean, that's crazy. The kid's four years old, he can barely read. Ezaiu started planning his trip for Hyrule when he was only fifteen, and three years later, he actually sets off on his journey with his group. Well, it did take forever for them to raise enough money to buy proper weapons and clothes. Those things are expensive and very rare in Yugano! They spent a half-a-year searching for a vendor across Yugano and luckily found one in a bandit in a forgotten village. Those who lost faith King Centir and Nalias ridicule Ezaiu and his status as a dethroned king.

**Willis of the Prenta Family:** The forgotten prince of Yugano. Willis is fourteen. He was only a few months when the kingdom fell. Some say he is his mother's favorite, as Ezaiu was considered his father's. Nalias had raised Willis to be good, and Willis does not think highly of his father's deeds. Ezaiu and Willis really aren't as close as they appear. Willis usually spent time with his grandparents. Willis used to be a talkative child, but his grandfather scolded him and taught him to not speak unless spoken to. And thus, we have the quiet Willis today. Willis fights with a cheap dagger, however, he rarely fights in battle. Those injuries were probably from when he was attacked and someone had to save him. Willis is very close with Tamara.

**Jayem of the Ruesil Family:** Jayem is nineteen. He's a joker and a little bit immature. His sister makes it her duty to take care of him. He met Ezaiu while visiting friends in Ataluzi. Ezaiu was nine at the time and Jayem was ten. Jayem's so-called friends were picking on poor Ezaiu and Jayem defended him. From that day on, they were the best of friends. Quite adorable. Jayem is considered second-in-command of the traveling group. While most speak in a more formal dialect, Jayem is more rugged and informal. He prefers ranged weapons over melee weapons. His father constantly harasses him about finding a good wife. However, because of Jayem's rudeness and immaturity, no father wants to hand over their daughters to him.

**Delia of the Ruesil Family: **Delia is fifteen years old. She has become the group's medic and nurse. Delia is much attached to Jayem and Ezaiu as well. She is very mature for her age and knows how to be respectful. However, she has a tendency to become over-motherly and very protective. This doesn't really help considering she isn't allowed to fight. Delia is secretly named after the author's favorite clothing store because sometimes she gets unoriginal.

**Tamara of the Laneta Family: **Tamara is the oldest at twenty-one. She is married to a man named Leves, who is still in Yugano. We're delve more into that later. She's not very trusting of others. Tamara was originally not accepted into the group by Ezaiu; however, after some tough training, she grew strong enough to carry the family's silver hammer without any effort. The hammer had been in her husband's family for centuries. She is closest to Willis.


	10. The Village

**KAPPALOCK: **Like a fairy in a spring, you fill my hearts.

I thought a Zelda-themed line was suitable for the date.

**Last Update: **2/14/12

.:.

Reni let out a heavy sigh as she lay on her stomach in the grass. Zerin sat beside her, perfectly calm. The sun already rose for the morning and some of the Yugano left to find breakfast. Reni and Zerin were left at the campsite with Delia and Tamara.

Dinner was pleasant. They shared their tales and learned so many things about the Yugano and their country. They learned of how Ezaiu decided to come to Hyrule to ask for relief efforts just a few years ago. They learned of the three year struggle Ezaiu went through to find weapons and clothing, as well as a group to travel with. Of course the stories had some empty spots, but there must've been some painful memories within them. The story itself was heartbreaking.

Reni's eyes looked up at Delia. Delia looked back at Reni and grinned; her face looked so innocent. Reni remembered the shocked reactions on her and Zerin's face when they had found out that Delia and Ezaiu were betrothed. Delia was so young, and Reni found it difficult to process that this child was already promised to someone. Well, that was the tradition in Yugano.

She turned her attention to Tamara. Tamara looked back at Reni with steel-gray eyes that sent a shiver down her back. When it came to the point in Ezaiu's story about how he met her, there was such a large gap. That woman was incredibly mysterious. All that was mentioned was that Tamara was married; to a man named Leves, if Reni remembered correctly.

However, Reni wouldn't dare ask her a question about it. Her face became painfully tense when Ezaiu told the story of their meeting. She would then nervously mess with the colorful beads in her hair. That memory must have been the most painful. Reni let out a sigh. Who was she to ask to bring those memories back?

.:.

"Ready to head out?" Ezaiu asked the group. They packed away the tents, which were basically more of their thin blankets laid over sticks. Breakfast was fruit, picked from trees found in the field. Willis left Reni and Zerin with a bag of leftover pears and apples for their journey.

"Hey, Reni." Reni turned her head to the boy with the familiar, informal speech. They got to know each other earlier and became closer ever since she gone off to watch him practice archery. Jayem walked over to Reni and reached over his side, "Take this." He removed his sword from his belt and pushed it toward her. Reni noticed the cloth hanging from his belt that depicted the Yugano emblem.

"Your sword?" Reni stuttered, taking the sword when it was thrust into her hands.

"It's nothing special. Remember, we got it off some bandit in Yugano. And I don't even use it!" Jayem explained, seeing her hesitation, "I hate seeing something that we paid so much for going to waste. You could use it more." He winked. Reni felt the blood rush to her cheeks. The hilt was simple, silver-colored and wrapped in dark brother leather. It was clearly nothing special, and Reni could tell that they paid too much for it.

"Um...thank you, Jayem." Reni said respectfully. She placed the sword on her back within her wrap to keep it place. She'd seen Colin wear his sword like this. She smiled, turning around to show Jayem.

Jayem chuckled, moving in a bit closer. "It looks great on you." He said, taking his hand a brushing a piece of her vibrant orange hair behind her ear. Jayem grinned, which made her smile back like a fool. She averted her eyes from his, staring at the collar of his white silk shirt. But this didn't help; his shirt was sleeveless as if he was purposefully trying to show off his arms. She looked back up at his gray eyes. The moment was getting more and more awkward with each passing second.

"Uh...aha, thank you...again!" Reni said, chuckling with the obvious hint of nervousness in her voice. Jayem leaned in a bit closer.

"Ahem."

However, the moment had been interrupted by the annoyed grunt of the nearby prince. Zerin didn't look at them, but was within a five foot radius and walking with the rest of the Yugano group. Reni looked at Jayem and took a step back.

"We better keep moving." Reni said, chuckling. Jayem raised an eyebrow and nodded. They joined the group, walking their way toward Kakariko Village.

.:.

"This is where we say goodbye." Ezaiu said. After a short walk, they reached the dusty road that led to Kakariko Village. Reni turned and looked at the Yugano, her eyes tracing over each one of them.

"Thank you for the dinner, and the breakfast." Reni smiled, "And the leftovers." She added once more, raising the bag of fruit Willis left them. The young boy quietly nodded.

"And, of course, for saving our lives." Zerin added. He held out his hand to the Yugano leader. "It was nice to meet you, Ezaiu."

Ezaiu's smile brightly, "Likewise, Prince Zerin." He took the Prince's hand and boldly shook it. Reni and Zerin said goodbyes to the rest of the group, all hoping to see each other again. The Yugano then turned around, leaving down a different path as Reni and Zerin headed towards the dusty one into Kakariko Village.

The first thing they saw was a small sparkling spring, similar to the one in Ordon and Faron. Nearby that spring was a round and sturdy home that stood out from the more rickety ones. As they moved closer to spring they could begin to see the whole village in front of them. The small, dusty village made home in between a mountain pass. In the background of the village was just about the tallest mountain they had ever seen. It appeared to be seeping hot lava from its cracks, but they could only see so much from so far.

However, the village seemed pretty empty; practically a ghost town. Other than the one round house, all of the homes seemed the same; bearing blue roofs, stony walls, and wooden patios. Only two people were outside today. A woman who was feeding cuccos on the street and a man who sat at the patio of him home, reading a book.

But perhaps the village wasn't as empty as they thought. There were about three other creatures outside with the man and the woman. The creatures were large, bulky and a light golden color. They had manes of rock and light cream-colored markings down their barely-clothed bodies. Reni knew these creatures. Her father described them to her. They were Gorons.

"How quaint." Zerin smiled as they stood by the spring, "What first?"

"Let's look around, I suppose." Reni nodded. They walked farther into the village and their presence became noticed by the man. The man looked up from his glasses and stared at the odd pair, particularly Zerin. Reni's eyes looked over Zerin. His royal appearance was obviously an attention-grabber. After all, who wouldn't look twice at a boy wearing a magnificent golden crown and jewelry? And the sash adorned with the Royal Family Crest was just a plus. However, the man went back to his book and they were ignored. This village didn't seem very warming to visitors. Reni shrugged it off, however Zerin tensed up more that they didn't greet his magnificent presence with cheers and cries of joy.

They shuffled along quietly. The only sounds in the village were the conversations of the Gorons and the clucking of the cuccos. Reni stopped abruptly at one house. The outside walls were plastered with posters.

"It's Malo Mart!" Reni's jubilant cheer interrupted the silence. Zerin stared at her.

"...Yay, it's that one cheap store chain…" Zerin said, sarcastically joining in her cheers.

"Cheap?" An angry voice shouted from the roof. The voice was not very deep for a grown man, but it still forced Reni and Zerin to jump in fright. "Who said that about my store?" It bellowed. Reni took a step away from Zerin, pointing at him.

A man looked down at the two from the roof. The man with the rounded face looked at them with a hammer in his hand. He must have been repairing the roof when Reni and Zerin stopped by.

"Malo!" Reni greeted, raising a hand above her eyes to block the sun. The man squinted.

"Well, if it isn't Reni." Malo said, although his face did not move. Malo never smiled. He jumped down from the roof and onto the patio of the shop.

"How's Link? How's the village?" Malo asked. He paused for a second, raising an eyebrow, "How's Talo?" He inquired about his brother, hoping he did not get into any trouble.

"All are fine." Reni replied.

"Sorry I missed your party. The store suffered some damage over the past few days. But I'll be coming to the Ordon Festival. I'll bring a few friends too." Malo said. He stared at Zerin. Well, not really staring. He was actually glaring at the Prince, "And just who is this? A boyfriend?" He said with an annoyed expression.

"No! Never!" Reni and Zerin both said. Just how many times were they going to be mistaken for a couple? Malo didn't respond to their answers but just waited for a thorough introduction.

"This is Prince Zerin, Malo." Reni introduced.

"Oh. Royalty. Figures that he wouldn't appreciate my store. You like those fancy, over-priced shops." Malo inquired. Zerin crossed his arms. "Well, I don't know what brings fancy folk like you into the village but don't ever insult my store again."

Zerin noticed the hammer was still in his hand, "S-sure thing...sir." Zerin swallowed a lump in his throat. Reni let out a relaxing sigh.

"So, what brings you to Kakariko Village?" Malo asked no one in particular.

"Just travelling around." Reni shrugged.

"We're on an adventure!" Zerin proudly exclaimed, "I must examine and visit every piece of the land of Hyrule before I become King!"

"Hooray for you." Malo said, although his words contained no real joy and sounded completely sarcastic. Zerin heard his sarcasm and sent a glare in the man's direction. Nevertheless, Malo continued, "How long are you two planning on staying?"

"Not very long. Maybe just a couple days." Reni answered.

"Well, I would offer to let you stay at my place, but there's barely enough room for me there." Malo said, giving a light tap to his heavy stomach. He looked to his left, "But, there's an inn. You can stay there."

"Will do. Thanks Malo." Reni waved goodbye as they headed in the direction of the Inn.

"An inn! We don't have to sleep on the dirt anymore!" Zerin cheered, clasping his hands together. Reni chuckled, agreeing with his joyous cries. Zerin looked over his shoulder, back at Malo who went back to repairing the roof. "That man isn't very friendly. Doesn't he know the proper way to talk to Hylian Royalty?"

"Malo never was the friendly type. We've grown to ignore his comments. You'll get used to it." Reni said with a smug grin as they approached the inn,

The outside of the inn looked just like the other homes in the village. The only difference was a sign at the top which read "Elde Inn" and a red and white tarp that hung from the roof. They walked inside. The inside of the inn was just as simple as the outside. It was nothing special. There was a desk in the upper corner, which was empty. On the other side of the room was a counter that wrapped around the door to the kitchen. And of course, there were wooden stairs leading to the next floor.

Zerin walked up to the desk. On the desk there was a large book, a pen set, and a bell. Zerin tapped the bell, letting it sound out a high-pitched ringing noise. No one answered to it. Zerin tapped it again. Once again, no answer. Zerin began to furiously tap the bell, letting it constantly ring again and again.

"Stop touching the bell! I will be there in a minute!" A voice shouted from the kitchen. Zerin removed his hand from the bell and put it innocently behind his back. A tall and skinny man came from behind the kitchen door. His eyebrows furrowed and his cherry red nose twitched as he stepped through an opening in the counter and over to the desk.

He said nothing to them as he walked behind the desk, barely acknowledging their presence. He opened the book and took out the pen. He completely avoided making eye contact with Reni and Zerin, just at the book. "We have one room opened. Two beds." He asked them, twirling his brown mustache.

Reni and Zerin looked at each other and nodded simultaneously. Reni looked back at the man, "Sounds fine. Just two people, staying for two days."

"Names?" He asked.

"Reni and Zerin." Reni answered.

"It's Prince Zerin!" Zerin retorted. The man looked up at the pair for the first time. His eyes glanced over Zerin and then back down at the book.

"Ah, it's the Prince of Hyrule staying at our inn." The man groaned, "That explains the whole...er...get-up." He said, waving his hand around while searching for the correct word. Zerin crossed his arms, spiteful at how he was once again treated in an improper manner.

The man closed the book and looked at the two, a sly smile on his face. "Welcome to the Elde Inn. My name is Mr. Kess. Breakfast is served at seven in the morning, lunch is served at one in the afternoon and dinner is served at seven at night. One night stay costs twenty Rupees and the privilege to eat is an addition ten. Any questions?" Mr. Kess said with a wide, greedy grin.

"Uh..." Reni said, opening up her small bag of Rupees, "I don't think I have enough...Zerin?" Reni looked at him, hopeful that the Prince had carried something with him. However, he shook his head. Zerin left the money with his guards and Reni had close to nothing. Mr. Kess, seeing that they had nothing, opened the book to remove their names.

"No money, no room. Please leave." He said, waving them off.

"But I'm the Prince of Hyrule!" Zerin argued. Reni rolled her eyes. His outcry didn't help the matter and Mr. Kess just continued to wave them off. Reni and Zerin's heads dropped in defeat.

"Back to the dirt…" Zerin sighed as they turned around.

"Would it be okay if I paid for them, Mr. Kess?" A feminine voice entered the room. Reni and Zerin looked up to see the source. It was a tanned woman in a robe that stretched to the floor. Her long white sleeves hid everything except the tips of her fingers.

A soft smile escaped her thin lips when she noticed that Mr. Kess was even shaken by her sudden appearance. No one heard her enter the room. Reni and Zerin stood silently, not knowing this woman or why she wanted to pay for them.

"Fine. Go ahead and pay, Miss Luda." He sighed, rewriting the names. Luda smiled proudly and walked up the desk, giving Mr. Kess the payment.

"Wait! Uh...you don't have to do this! I mean, we don't even know who you are!" Reni said. Luda blinked in surprise.

"Yes she can!" Zerin said, "How can you not take such a generous offering from such a lovely woman? She is attempting to make an act of kindness and it's our duty to accept!" Zerin said, casually placing a hand on Reni's shoulder as he explained his point. She promptly shrugged him off. Zerin looked at the woman, "Thank you, Miss...uh...Miss Luda!" He said, remembering the name Mr. Kess used.

Before Reni could argue with Zerin's point, Luda already turned around to leave.

"Why don't you stop by my home later for some tea? We can introduce ourselves there." Luda said, gracefully leaving the room.

Zerin guiltily smiled in Reni's direction. Reni scowled, "We can't accept this. We'll just take the money back and give it back to her." She said as she turned toward Mr. Kess.

"No refunds!" The man shouted, slamming his book shut. Reni twitched and Zerin grinned. Mr. Kess grumbled as looked down at them from his mighty position at his desk. "Do you even know who paid for your room?" He asked them. Before they could answer, he continued. "That's Luda. She's the medicine woman here in the village. Her father's the village shaman, Renado. They live down in that house by the spring. The round one, in case you didn't know. It doesn't surprise me that she offered to pay. That girl does all sorts of charity work."

Reni and Zerin were confused, although grateful. After listening to Mr. Kess talk, they thanked him and left the inn. Zerin could feel Reni's glares burn onto him as they walked outside.

"What?" Zerin asked, raising his shoulders innocently.

"How could you just let her pay for us?" Reni asked, crossing her arms. Zerin rolled his eyes, chuckling.

"Well, it's not my fault that you're poor." Zerin said.

"I'm not poor! I just didn't bring enough!" Reni argued.

"Stop your bickering, you two." Malo stepped in, "You'll scare small children. Now what's this about?"

"Oh, Malo." Reni said, "Um...Miss Luda. We don't know who she is, but she came in and paid for our rooms. And then she told us to meet her at her house. And I guess…I just feel bad about accepting her payment."

"Don't be. When you're offered something, take it." Malo said apathetically.

"I told you." Zerin smirked, "Besides, she probably just paid for us because she saw the Prince of Hyrule and his lowly bodyguard were in distress and needed some generous donations!" Zerin said, flipping his hair to the side.

"Doubt it." Malo said, and Zerin's expression turned hateful. "That's just Luda. You may not know her but she knows you." Malo said, "She's Beth's best friend and we stayed with her father while yours was out saving Hyrule back when we were kids. You stopped here on the way to Castle Town and met her once before, I think."

"I guess I just forgot." Reni shrugged. Zerin's expression remained annoyed.

"Does no one in this village know how to properly treat the Prince of Hyrule?" Zerin shouted, raising his arms at his sides as if to let his voice carry.

"That or no one cares." Malo let out a sigh. Zerin had a blank stare. How could no one care? Reni chuckled, amused. Malo looked toward Luda's house, "Why don't you go and stop by like she wanted." He said as he began to walk away.

Reni looked at Zerin's plastered scowl and laughed, "Oh! Let it go! We'll find people who 'appreciate' you wherever we go next!" She turned him in the direction of Luda's house and sauntered over.

.:.

"I'm glad you came over." Luda said softly, pouring hot tea into porcelain cups.

"Well, I made some tweaks in my busy schedule to visit. After all, I have all of Hyrule to visit." Zerin boasted, taking the tea generously. Reni rolled her eyes and Luda chuckled.

"Well, then I'm certainly glad you could take the time to visit us, Prince Zerin." Luda said. Zerin enjoyed finally being treated like he wanted to and grinned widely at Reni.

An old man sat beside Luda in another chair. His hair was black once but over the years, it lost its color and was now a dusty gray color.

"This is my father, Renaldo." Luda introduced the old man. He smiled and the skin on his face sagged with wrinkles.

"So, Malo told us that you helped everyone when Ganondorf attacked Hyrule." Reni recalled the story.

Renado looked up with a blank expression, as if he didn't know if Reni was talking to him or someone else. He slowly set his cup down and looked back at Reni, "Yes...I did. If I remember correctly, me and another man, Barnes, were the only villagers left after the creatures invaded the village. Link came through and the village stayed safe. Your father was a good man." Renado said happily.

Luda looked at Reni, "We didn't know you were coming through, Reni. We haven't seen you in years."

"I've heard. I'm sorry; I was so young I just don't remember." Reni said sadly, "Thank you for the tea though...and the room."

"It's no issue." Luda said calmly.

"If there is any way we can repay you, please let us know." Reni said.

Luda smiled to herself, "Well, something always comes up. When that happens, I'll be sure to ask for your help."

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Malo:** The brother of Talo and owner of the Malo Mart shop chain. Malo is very proud of his store, which has been in business ever since he was a small child. He doesn't like people disrespecting it. He has a very sarcastic, apathetic, and cynical attitude. Despite this, Malo is admired by many women who shop regularly at his store. He now resides in Kakariko Village so he can take care of his first store.

**Mr. Kess**: The keeper of Elde Inn. He's the chef, manager, and maid all in one. He's a bit greedy, which is why he won't hire any help for the inn. He's also always grumpy because he has no help. It's a complicated situation…

**Luda: **Luda is the daughter of Renado and the medicine woman of Kakariko Village. She enjoys helping others and constantly goes out of her way to do so. Luda remains best friends with Beth and writes to her all the time.

**Renado: **Twenty years has done a lot to Renado. The aging was a bit exaggerated, but let's say he was already old enough during _Twilight Princess_. Yeah, he can't do much anymore but he**'s **managed to teach his daughter everything he knows about medicine to take care of the village on his behalf.


	11. The Inn

**KAPPALOCK:** Seeing old people who remember me when I have no clue who the hell they are is the story of my life.

**Last Update: **2/14/12

.:.

Reni entered the room at Elde Inn, the room that she and Zerin would be sharing for the next couple of nights. There were two beds set on the opposite sides of the room. Reni wasn't too worried about privacy. After all, she wouldn't be changing clothes or anything. At this thought, she let out a groan. Why didn't she bring a pack or something to carry a few more items like Zerin suggested? It's only been one day and already she feels as though she's gone swimming in the mud puddles the goats back home make after a rainstorm.

She looked over at the prince, who had already selected his bed and was now examining it. She was sure he felt just as gross as her, perhaps even more. The beds were small so that only one person could sleep in them; not that Reni needed a bed that needed to fit more than one person.

"These beds look like they haven't been slept in for decades." Zerin complained, lifting up the quilt to view the mattress. "And they're so tiny. Back at the castle, I have bed that's twice the size of this thing. No matter...I'd rather sleep here than in the dirt." Zerin let out a groan.

"What a sacrifice." Reni rolled her eyes. Zerin noticed the sarcastic hint and glared in her direction.

Reni jumped onto her bed, lying on her back to eye the ceiling. Zerin was right about the beds. They were hard and stiff; not much better than the ground, but they appeared to have been cleaned that day.

"I need to bathe." Zerin complained. Reni chuckled, knowing that she was just thinking about bathing a minute ago. He stepped out into the hallway and listened for a noise downstairs. He heard Mr. Kess cooking in the kitchen. "Hey!" Zerin called out to the man, "Does this place have a washroom?"

Mr. Kess was an easy person to annoy; for when he spoke, he sounded as though he just wanted to punch someone that instant. Zerin's question sounded, for the most part, innocent, however Mr. Kess replied with an irritated tone. "No. There is no washroom in this inn." Zerin pouted at his reply. "However..." Mr. Kess continued, "If you must have a wash, you can use the hot spring above the inn."

"That hot spring sounds delightful." Zerin smiled at the thought of finally getting a bath. He looked at Reni and gave her a playful grin. "Care to go first? You definitely need a bath more than me."

Reni smirked at him, "Sure. Ladies first, after all."

.:.

They borrowed a set of bathrobes and towels from the inn to wear into the hot spring. Reni sighed, shutting the door to the room. She was finally alone; so she began to strip down every layer of clothing she had been wearing. Reni changed into the women's robe Mr. Kess gave her. The robes were soft and white and were made of a material Reni didn't recognize.

Zerin waited outside for Reni to finish changing. They fought over who would bathe first, a fight she ended up winning. When she left room, Zerin stood outside with his arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. He frowned at her, obviously still mad she won the fight.

"Oh, don't be so angry. I'll be quick." Reni smirked, walking away carelessly, "Then we can wash our clothes." Of course, they planned to bathe in the hot spring separately, but Mr. Kess told them they could wash their clothes in the spring as well. So they decided to wash their clothes together after they both finished bathing.

She walked out into the hallway and toward a door to her right. The doors led right outside and to a set of stairs. Reni walked carefully; the stairs had no railing. The sun was close to setting. The stairs led to another set of stairs and then another. Reni came to the top where there was an opening in the mountain

A sign greeted her. Reni looked at it, reading _Kakariko Hot Spring; anyone and everyone is welcome. Soak slowly to warm your heart_. The hot spring was merely a small pond but it was large enough to bathe in, at least. Reni removed her robe, opting to only wear the towel dress in the spring. Though she was alone and high up in the mountain, the spring was still out in the open.

She soaked her hair in the water, letting the dirt and dust float out of it, and afterwards, rested against a rock, taking in the warm water. She let out a heavenly sigh and closed her eyes.

.:.

The prince walked into the room, now anxious to change. Reni should be done by now anyway, Zerin thought. He relaxed a little more now after he was out of his dirty clothes. He examined and the bathrobe and bath shorts before putting them on. Zerin recognized the material and groaned in disgust. This inn was tacky and cheap; however, it would have to do. Zerin carefully folded his clothes, placing the jewelry and crown between the shirt layers.

He walked out the steps and up the inn, shouting to Reni as he walked up.

"Reni, are you done yet? It's been quite a while and the sun is setting." Zerin groaned. She didn't answer. Zerin walked to the top and stopped at the entrance to the spring.

"Reni!" He abruptly shouted, causing Reni to jump up and make a splash in the pond.

"What? What?" Reni's eyes opened wide as she looked in all directions around her. Zerin raised an eyebrow.

"Did you fall asleep?" He questioned.

"Maybe." She said as she rubbed her eyes. Her arms turned red from the heat of the spring. She began to rise out of the water, "I'll just get out..."

"No, no! Stop!" Zerin covered his eyes with his hands.

"What now?" Reni jumped once more.

"You're indecent! Cover yourself up!" Zerin still covered his eyes. Reni's eyes widened.

"I'm wearing a towel!" She looked down to double check that she was still wearing it. Zerin opened his eyes. He glanced up and down her body for a quick second before averting her eyes back to her face. Reni crossed her arms over her chest, "Okay. Stop staring; now you're just starting to creep me out."

"You're barely clothed; you should be wearing the robe. The way you're dressed, it's hard not to stare." Zerin commented. Reni raised her eyebrow. He coughed into his fist, quickly adding; "Not that you're much to stare at."

"Fine. I'll just go." Reni glared at him as she picked up her robe and put it on.

"Finally." Zerin sighed. Reni walked past him, brushing him rudely in the side as she left. Zerin looked past his shoulder as he watched her go down the steps and made his way to the spring, removing the bathrobe and leaving himself in just the bath shorts.

Reni glanced over her shoulder at him just as he slipped in. He was skinny. Not starving skinny, but maybe even skinnier than her. She would've never been able to tell through those clothes. She could tell he absolutely no muscles in his arms or stomach. However, Reni realized the awkward situation of what she was currently doing and quickly left.

Zerin turned around, seeing her leave. He looked forward, letting out a pouty sigh. Now that he thought about, he was really starting to get tired of fighting with her. And despite her indecency, she didn't look half bad. But he was just going to keep that last thought to himself.

.:.

Reni and Zerin sat the edge of the hot spring, washing their clothes in the water.

"All these grass and dirt stains in my trousers." Zerin groaned, staring intently at his pants as he flooded them in the water, "I knew I was going to get grass stains on my outfit when those Bulblins tried to eat me."

"They'll come out." Reni replied.

"I hope." Zerin groaned.

"At least you didn't become 'green creature food'." Reni chuckled. Zerin merely smiled in reply. "We're lucky the Yugano came around." She added. Zerin's smile dropped; nevertheless, Reni continued, "And they were all so nice too. You and Ezaiu seemed to get along well. You know, despite the circumstances." She said slowly and carefully so she wouldn't get him mad.

"I suppose." Zerin said, looking down at the water. Reni looked at him.

"Is...something wrong?" She asked, trying to not seem genuinely concerned. She didn't know why she bothered to ask such a question, considering he was being so ridiculous earlier.

"I don't know," He replied blandly, "Well, I know that they mean well and all. But...I still don't have a good feeling about them." Zerin said slowly.

Reni begun to wash her clothes in the hot spring. "I would say you're still a little uneasy around Ezaiu. I mean the situation and the history for you two is a pretty intense." She scrubbed the dirt stains about of her pants as she spoke.

Zerin looked up at her. She wasn't looking at him. "I would say you're just saying that." He said, although his words did not make much sense. "I'm not uneasy around them. I just don't get a good feeling about him. Or any of them."

Reni merely stared at him as she switched her sitting position, "Whatever you say. I thought you were getting along fine."

"You seem to be getting along well with them." Zerin said, "Especially that one guy."

"Jayem?" Reni's eyes darted up when Zerin mentioned him.

"Oh, so you know his name." Zerin looked at her accusingly.

"Well, duh. After all, they told us them. What? Did you just not bother to remember?" Reni's expression was a mixture of confusion and wonder about how stupid or rude Zerin was. Even though she already knew how rude he could be.

"You two seemed to get along quite well." Zerin repeated with a smirk, ignoring her question.

"Well...he's a very friendly guy, and I guess a little attractive."

"Attractive?" Zerin quickly broke in. "Gross. Did you see his hair?"

"Did I mention he was very easy to get along with? Unlike you." Reni glared at him.

"What's wrong with me?" Zerin threw his hands in front of his chest in a defensive position.

"Well, where do I begin?" Reni looked to the side, "You're rude, conceited, bossy, cowardly..." Reni's eyes moved back over to the prince, only to find him washing his crown carelessly. "Are you listening to me?"

"Never have I seen a more handsome prince in my entire fifteen years. Wouldn't you agree?" Zerin said as he admired his reflection in his crown.

Reni abruptly stood up, scooping up her wet clothes in her arms.

"You're leaving?" Zerin blinked, rising a bit on his knees.

"Well, I'm not really enjoying our conversation, Prince Zerin." Reni argued. His name tasted like acid in her mouth.

"Wait, Reni." Zerin called out to her. Reni stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. "I-I'm sorry."

Reni stared at him in awe, "You're… what?"

"Ugh, don't make me say it again." Zerin crossed his arms. Reni blinked, that was probably the first _sincere_ apology Zerin gave to her. She probably shouldn't, but Reni decided to get more of that apology out of him. It probably wouldn't happen again anyway.

"About what?" She inquired, hiding her smirk.

Zerin shrugged his shoulders, "For… you know, for being so…"

"For being so you?" She said, implying Zerin's personality is exactly what he should apologize for. Reni couldn't hide her smirk any longer. Zerin glared at her and Reni let out a laugh. "Okay, now I'm sorry," She said in between chuckles, "Maybe I shouldn't have said that when you're making such an obvious effort to apologize."

"It's quite difficult to do." Zerin said, going back to scrubbing his clothes. Reni sat beside him, putting her clothes back into the water. She intended to leave, but she still didn't finish washing.

"Well, it was a nice start." Reni said quietly, sending him a soft smile. Zerin couldn't help but smile back.

.:.

Reni looked in the mirror, running her fingers throughout her hair so it wouldn't be as messy. It felt so good to be in clean clothes again, or rather, just to be clean at all.

She thought about her conversation with Zerin the following night. She let out a heavy sigh. She admitted; there really was nothing between her and Jayem. After all, they had only spent one afternoon together and talked for about the rest of the time. Reni could tell he was little interested in her, and clearly Zerin could tell too.

But of course, she had no clue of his rather obvious flirting attempts until he gave her his sword. And Zerin had been standing a mere few feet away. Speaking of Zerin, Reni thought as she turned around. She could see his golden brown hair peeking out from under the covers.

She was a bit surprised he was still sleeping and that she was already awake. Reni woke up a few times in the night by his voice. That boy sure knew how to talk in his sleep. He must have really vivid dreams to be talking so much. She began putting in her silver earrings.

He talked about a lot of things.

He talked about fighting monsters. He talked about being a king. He talked about her- nothing good of course. She recalled him mumbling something about some 'annoying village girl' and she was pretty sure she's the only annoying village girl he knows. Her hands dropped to her sides.

He talked about his father and mother. At that point, Reni got and leaned over him. Just to make sure he wasn't crying his sleep or whatever. Reni groaned. He was still sleeping though. She went over to his bed and shook his shoulder.

"Hey. Wake up." She groaned, "It's almost time for breakfast."

"Tell the maid I'll be up in five minutes, Alfred." Zerin's voice moaned.

"Alfred?" Reni's mouth twisted at the name. She leaned down to his ear, "Oh, your Royal Highness." She said sweetly.

Zerin's body curled in a bit and he quietly moaned back, "Yes?"

"Wake up!" She abruptly shouted in his ear, causing Zerin to literally jump out of bed and roll onto the floor.

"Ow…" Zerin moaned, slowly rising up from the floor and looking at the girl across from him, "Reni!" He started to yell but just dropped his head. Reni's eyes squinted in puzzlement. Zerin was too tired of this. He brushed his hair back, "I can't go back to sleep now that I'm awake. But it'll take me some time to get ready." He said, sitting up straight.

"Well, as long as you're not late for breakfast. I don't want to hear you whining all day about not getting anything to eat in the morning." Reni said, "I'll see you downstairs." Reni was tempted to point out how he kept her up all night, but she didn't and left the room.

.:.

"It's going to cost extra for the use of that hot spring." Mr. Kess explained, passing two plates toward Reni and Zerin. He was wearing a white apron over his usual attire. Breakfast today was eggs and toast. It really wasn't a wonder anymore why Mr. Kess was always so angry. He ran the entire inn by himself. He cleaned, cooked, managed. He hired absolutely no help.

"We'll try it cover that with the rest of our money. I don't want Miss Luda to pay anymore for us." Reni said. Zerin nodded in agreement, shoving the eggs into his mouth in the utmost polite manner.

"Yeah, yeah." Mr. Kess said with an irritated expression, eating his own breakfast besides the pair. He was such an odd little man.

It only took the pair a few minutes to finish the breakfast.

"Thank you, Mr. Kess. The meal was wonderful." Reni said, trying to be as nice as possible to the irate man. His expression didn't change, he just let out a 'humph' and went back into the kitchen. Zerin placed the last piece of toast in between his teeth and stood up from the bar.

However, their actions were interrupted by a ruckus outside. They heard a woman's cry for help, particularly help from Luda. They heard Malo's voice enter the scene.

Mr. Kess' head popped out from the kitchen door, "Looks like something's going on outside. Take a look for me, will ya?" He inquired.

Zerin walked over to the window and squinted as he looked into the brightness, "Looks like someone's hurt or something..."

"Well, probably nothing Miss Luda can't take care of." Mr. Kess said.

Reni and Zerin walked outside; all the more curious about the events ongoing outside. The first thing they saw was a woman, frantically running around. It was the woman they saw yesterday feeding cuccos. She was shaking as she watched Malo carry a small boy to Luda's house. They also saw that another man was outside watching the scene, the man they saw on the patio reading.

He was close by, so Reni and Zerin casually walked over.

"What's going on?" Reni inquired to the man. He looked at them in disbelief, as if he's never seen them before and was a bit creeped about that two random kids were asking questions. Which makes sense, since he probably didn't notice them walk into the village yesterday. His expression dropped after a second and he began to slowly answer their question.

"Marianne's son. He's terribly ill; has been for the past week. His temperature shot up today like crazy, so she's taking him to Luda and Renado. Usually Luda's healing techniques would prevent these sorts of things. But this lady's been avoiding that kind of help." The man explained.

"Oh, that's quite unfortunate." Zerin said slowly, thinking of his own mother.

Malo walked out of Luda's home after delivering the boy to her care. He quickly spotted Reni and Zerin.

"Hey!" He waved his arms at them, "Come here! I have a job for you two!" They walked over when he said so. He continued speaking, "You heard about that boy in there? Yeah, he's in pretty bad shape. Now, Luda said she could heal him, but she needs something. She told me to get you two for the job. Guess this'll be how you pay her back for paying for your rooms." Malo said.

Reni and Zerin looked at each other, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"What do we need to do?" Reni asked, eager to help.

"Yeah, she needs you to get this sort of flower. Apparently its petals have some healing ability and whatever. You got a map?" He asked.

Reni reached behind her and pulled out her scabbard. She had tucked the map away inside the scabbard so it wouldn't be lost. She handed the folded piece of paper to Malo. He opened it and laid it out on the ground for Reni and Zerin to see.

He placed his finger on Kakariko Village- where they were now.

"Now, Luda said it was up north. Right past the Eldin Bridge." Malo explained as his finger ran up the page, into Eastern Hyrule Field and across the thin path labeled 'Eldin Bridge'. He stopped somewhere past the Eldin Bridge. "It should be around there. You'll see it when you get there. It's through a little cave to an abandoned village, that's what she said anyway. The flower only grows there and it called, I don't know, the Shadow Folk's Blossom or something like that. I'm not gonna go into any more details but I suggest you guys get to it."

"What? She's expecting us to travel all the way down there for a flower?" Zerin whined, "And why does she come out of nowhere and ask us to do it? Why can't you?"

"Zerin..." Reni glared at him.

"I would do it but you guys are a lot younger and more fit than I am. It's dangerous out there, you two can handle it better with your weapons and whatever." Malo pointed out.

"Sounds like you're sending us to our doom." Zerin groaned.

"Look, that kid's dying in there. Besides, you two owe her. She did pay for your room. Let's not forget that the kid's dying." He argued. Zerin crossed his arms guiltily.

"I'm sure everyone will be very thankful that the Prince of Hyrule saved that kid's life." Reni raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'll do it!" Zerin tightened his hand into a fist, encouraged by Reni's words. Malo scratched the back of his head, annoyed at Zerin's selfish attitude.

"We'll never make it in time by walking." Reni joined in.

"You can borrow one of old Grierman's horses. I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Malo said, turning to look at the man Reni and Zerin spoke to earlier, "Right, Grierman?"

"Don't call me that, boy." He said in a grumpy manner, heading to a nearby stable. He brought out a horse whose skin was a light tan color. He walked it over to Reni and Zerin.

"How convenient." Reni said, petting the horse's mane.

"Yeah, just make sure you take care of her. She's my fastest! She'll get you there in no time. But if there's one little scratch on her..." Old Grierman warned the pair as they got onto the horse.

"We'll take care of her." Reni said, "I have two horses back home."

"Yeah, yeah." The man grumbled.

"Are we really doing this? It could be dangerous like he said." Zerin said, getting onto the horse first and grabbing the worn reins.

"Why do you even ask?" Reni groaned, getting on behind him and opening to map to show their path.

"Now, hurry! There's not much time!" Malo warned.

"How much do we have?" Reni asked.

"Before the sun sets, I would suppose. But be as quick as you can" He directed.

"This should be fun..." Zerin said with a weary smile on his face. Malo smacked the horses' rear, sending her off through the village and off to the northern gate.

Reni looked behind her at Malo, who's figure became smaller and smaller as they went off.

"Good luck!" He called out to them until his figure disappeared behind the mountain.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Marianne: **A mother who lives in Kakariko Village. She's a single mother and moved to Kakariko Village recently from Hyrule Castle Town. She's a bit weary of Luda and Renado and their shaman magic- but she'll just have to get used to it. She's uptight and a bit snobbish.

**Marianne's son:** Boy doesn't have a name yet.

**Old Grierman: **That's not his real name. Who knows what it really is. He's been in the village for a while now. Here's something you won't hear in the story; he's somehow related to Barnes and is currently in control of the bomb shop. But you won't hear much about bombs...or Barnes in this story. Whatever happened to Barnes? Eh, just forgot to put him in...


	12. The Sheikah

**KAPPALOCK:** Now you know what I did on Valentine's Day…

**Last Update: **2/14/12

.:.

Just as Malo directed them, Reni and Zerin rode through the eastern field of Hyrule. They rode across Eldin Bridge and into the mountain pass. They had to admit, it was easy this time. The field was empty. They didn't run into any creatures wanting to eat them or whatever. Perhaps that only happened in the south. Either way, the path was safe and they made through it quickly.

They came into the mountain and stopped. Now they just had to search for that cave that Malo told them about. Reni jumped off the horse and took out the map.

"That won't help much," Zerin said, jumping off after her. "If we're gonna find this village, we gotta look around. That map doesn't show us the exact spot."

"Yeah, but it sheds a little light on the situation." Reni said quietly, putting the map away.

"If you say so." Zerin said. He stepped on the rocks ahead of them, looking around every corner. "Now...if I was a cave, where would I hide?" Zerin mumbled to himself.

Reni let out a groan, "Now how are we supposed to find a cave, which I would imagine is going to very well concealed..." Reni's voice trailed off as she came across a short step. A short step that led to a darkened entrance. Zerin came by her side with a smirk.

"Looks dark." He commented.

"Looks like we've found our cave." Reni replied, stepping into the ledge. She motioned for Zerin to follow, "Come on."

"All of this is way too easy. Malo could've done it himself." Zerin argued, following her reluctantly.

"Just because we found a cave doesn't mean that it leads to the village." Reni said.

However, Zerin continued as if she said nothing. "I mean, we breezed right out of that field and there were no monsters or whatever blocking that bridge. He thought we were gonna encounter dangerous creatures or whatever..."

They entered complete darkness as Zerin chatted away. Reni pushed her arms out in front of her and to her sides, trying to feel her way through the dark tunnel.

"Ow! Zerin!" Reni hissed at him.

"What?" He voice echoed.

"You stepped on my heel!"

"Well, it's not as if I can see exactly where I'm-" Zerin let an odd noise escape his throat as he collided with something solid.

"What happened?" Reni asked, still blindly touching the air in front of her.

"I think I ran into the wall."

"Use your hands to guide you."

"Okay." Zelda said, feeling the air around him and going in who knows what direction. His hands collided with something in front of him and Reni let out a sudden high pitch squeal.

"Zerin! Watch where you put your hands!"

"What? I, uh…" Zerin pulled his hands sheepishly to his sides. He really didn't want to know what he just touched.

"Hang on, I can see the light."

Indeed they could. They could see the light of day coming from around the next turn. They hurried toward it, running into each other along the way.

"Looks like we've found our hidden village." Reni said, examining the area as she exited the tunnel. The first thing that greeted them was a tall sign. The words were faded, but Reni could faintly read _Welcome to Old Kakariko_. She placed a hand to her chin in thought.

"Too easy, once again." Zerin said, placing his hands on his hips.

"Well, it's definitely abandoned. Let's just find that flower and get out of here before you jinx us." Reni said. There was a line of buildings; all equally run down and in ruins. There were broken windows and balconies, and boxes and barrels ahead of them.

"It's not entirely abandoned. There are quite a few cats." Zerin smiled, as a horde of multi-colored kittens appeared to the pair, meowing frequently. Reni shuddered, she preferred goats.

"Let's just hurry up, okay." Reni said, taking a few steps forward. The cats scattered away as she did that. Reni looked over her shoulders. She had a strange feeling that they were being watched, and it wasn't by this mysterious army of felines that suddenly appeared. Zerin followed her closely behind.

"Now, if I was a flower, where would I hide in a dusty, abandoned village?" Zerin asked himself.

"Would you stop asking yourself things like that? It's weird." Reni commented as she came to a building. She opened the door and looked inside for any sign of life. She let out a sigh when she found nothing and repeated this process for the next few buildings.

Zerin tapped his foot impatiently, "Found anything yet?"

Reni glared at him, "Maybe you should help."

Zerin chuckled, as if Reni just told a joke. He crossed his arms and leaned against the boxes behind him. He looked over to see Reni still glaring at him. He waved his hand at her, "Well, go on. We don't have all day to look for this plant."

Reni turned around. At this point, she didn't want to bother with his attitude. She continued searching, going into one of the buildings and looking behind all of the crates and barrels. Reni's eyes searched from corner to corner.

She rose up and turned around. There was that strange feeling again. A shadow moved behind the crates across the room. "Zerin?" She called out. There was no answer, Zerin was probably still outside. She looked around carefully and then turned her back.

She suddenly came face to face with a pair of large red eyes.

.:.

Zerin waited outside of the building, wondering where all the little kittens went off to. He wondered how they survived in this village, since they've so far found no trace of food around here. He continued wondering, thinking of all the possibilities of how those kittens lived.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of shattering glass. He wasn't quick enough to notice where the noise came from. A second after the noise, he was pushed into the crates behind him and held down by an unknown force. The crates broke and shattered beneath his body; and he and whatever-landed-on-top-of-him were knocked into the rubble.

Once the pain subsided, Zerin opened his eyes to see his vision was blinded by vibrant orange locks of hair.

"Reni!" Zerin shouted furiously, now wondering what happened. Reni let out a weak moan, showing she was in no mood to answer. Zerin carefully pushed her limp body off his chest and into his lap so he could sit up.

"I don't know who you are, but I'm letting you into my village!" The voice that shouted wasn't familiar. It was a bit high, like a young girl's, but it sounded determined to kick them out. Zerin looked around for the source of the voice.

A figure stood at a broken window, probably the one Reni just flew through. It stood in the shadows to stay unseen.

"Too late. We're already here." Zerin shrugged nonchalantly. Reni let out another moan as she weakly rose up off of the prince. She stretched out her arms and just leaned on them.

"It appears we have company." Reni let out a smirk. The figure took a step into the light, allowing its right leg to be exposed.

"With no hope of defeating me, I suggest you leave."

"A little arrogant." Reni said, letting Zerin help her stand. "But we need something here and we won't leave until we get it!"

"There is nothing here for you!" The voice retorted, now stepping into the light. It could be clearly seen, although it moved too quickly for Reni or Zerin to get a good look. All they saw was a blur of white and blue before a dagger was between them. They had separated just in time to avoid getting hit. Zerin quickly glanced that their attacker.

It was a girl. The only thing he took notice to was her long white braid and striking red eyes. She took another swing at him. Zerin took steps back in order to avoid her strike.

Reni groaned as she weakly stood up. She remembered the sword Jayem gave her. She reached behind her and pulled it out; time to put it into good use. Their attacker was focused on the prince for now. It was the perfect opportunity for an attack. Reni crept up behind her as the attacker swung at the prince. Reni leaped at the girl, but she was too fast for her. The girl quickly turned around, wasting no time to get rid of Reni, and knocked her aside with a swift quick back into another pile of barrels.

The girl looked back at Zerin.

"Can't we talk about this?" Zerin begged her, reaching for his sword.

"No!" She argued, twirling her dagger in her right hand. Zerin quickly took out his sword, using it to defend himself from her dagger. Her dagger was blocked by his sword and she pushed forward against him, forcing Zerin to lock eyes with her.

She was young. Incredibly young. Zerin was taken aback by how young she looked. She looked no more than eleven. Zerin was a bit surprised he was fighting with a young girl, and she was winning. She effortlessly turned her tagger in a way that twisted the sword out of Zerin's grasp. The sword was flung aside and he was defenseless. She kicked Zerin in his stomach, knocking him to the ground. The next thing he knew, she was straddled across his stomach with her left hand gripping his collar. The dagger remained in her right hand, ready to attack.

However, something stopped her.

Her red eyes were filled with disbelief as she traced her eyes up and down along his body.

"Who are you?" She asked him carefully.

"I was just about to ask you the same question." Zerin said, not wanting to answer her question too quickly.

"Let's not be cocky." She said in an angered tone, gripping his collar tighter and shaking her fist a bit. She was now shouting at him, "Are you of the Hyrule Royal Family?"

"How'd you guess?" Zerin said nervously. The girl looked down, and then slowly let go of Zerin's collar and backed away. Zerin stood up with bewildered eyes, all too confused about what had just happened.

The girl then dropped to her knees, laying her arms out before Zerin's feet and bowing her head humbly. After a few seconds, her voice broke the silence, "Please forgive me for my deeds, your highness. I have been waiting my whole life for your arrival." Her voice was muffled, as if she was sobbing.

Zerin rose an eyebrow, "Uh...it's okay?" He shrugged.

"No, it's not!' Reni's angry voice entered the conversation, "She could've broken my back!" Reni approached Zerin with an enraged expression, one hand rubbing her back.

"I always do appreciate when people grovel in the dirt before me but...I'm not quite understanding what's going on right now." Zerin said.

She stood up. Little teardrops were forming at her eyes, however she wasn't crying just yet. Zerin gave the girl a soft smile.

"I'm Prince Zerin of Hyrule and this is my friend, Reni."

The girl suddenly let out a loud cry and burst into tears. Zerin blinked in surprise, as did Reni. The tears ran down her face quickly and fell to the dirt as she cried loudly. She raised her hands to her face, trying to wipe them away before more came. The three white triangles stained onto her skin beneath her eyes, despite her weeping, did not run down her tear-swollen face.

"What'd you do to her?" Reni looked at him.

"Nothing! I swear!" Zerin raised his arms in defense.

"Then why is she crying?" Reni asked him.

"I-I'm sorry..." She sobbed, her tears starting to lighten up now, "I-I'm just...s-so...happy that..." She couldn't finish, for she began to cry again.

Zerin could clearly see her now, without her attacking him suddenly. She dressed herself in light dusty blue shirt with torn sleeves. White bandages were wrapped around her waist, wrists, fingers and calves. Her pants were the same color as her shirt, but covered in dirt. Her brown, braided sandals were adorned with a red gem on the ankle strap. Painted in bright red on her shirt was a symbol; an eye with three triangle eyelashes and a long tear.

"I'm terribly sorry, your highness and my lady." She said, wiping away the tears again after a minute. Reni raised an eyebrow at the term 'my lady'. She continued, "Please forgive me for attacking you and for this sudden outburst. I did not notice the crown until I got a clear look at you."

"Well it's a good thing you got a clear look seconds before you tried to kill me." Zerin said with a nervous chuckle. She once again cried at his comment.

"I'm so sorry!" She shouted through her tears. Reni glared at him for making her cry again and Zerin shrugged ignorantly. She carefully raised her hand to the young girl's back and patted it in a motherly way.

"I-It's okay, now..." Reni said slowly, "Um...why don't you tell us your name?"

"M-my name is Impaya." She answered them, looking up. Her eyes were now puffy from all of the tears. "I apologize. I have an explanation. It's very important that you hear it." Impaya said, forcing a large grin through her tears, the first they saw from her.

"Yeah, I'd like to hear this." Reni said, removing her hand from Impaya.

"Uh, no thanks." Zerin said. Her expression dropped at his response. Reni eyes flashed over to him, a bit stunned by his rude response. "Look, we just need to get this thing and then we have to go."

"What is this thing? I'll get it for you! Anything you request, my prince!" Impaya smiled.

Reni chuckled at her pluckiness and looked at Zerin, "Maybe she'll know where the Shadow Folk's Blossom is." She turned to explain their situation to Impaya, "You see, we need-"

"Forgive me, but I was not talking to you." She quickly responded with a straight face. Reni and Zerin's expression froze when the girl was quick to disregard Reni. There were a few seconds of awkward silence.

"Well, aren't you a riot." Was all Zerin could say while he suppressed a chuckle. Reni glared at her, backing away behind Zerin slightly. She regretted ever being nice to the strange little girl.

"Do you happen to know where we could find that blossom at?" Zerin asked Impaya.

"Oh yes! It's the flower of my people! There is a whole patch that blooms." Impaya said, "Come and I will give you that explanation as to why I attacked you."

By that, she meant 'Come and I will tell you my whole life story'.

It had started out like; "Well, as you know, my name is Impaya. I'm precisely eleven years old. I am a pure blooded Sheikah and the very last one!" She proudly bragged, heavily emphasizing the pure blooded part, "My grandmother thought that was the last of her kind too, until the Great Hero had come and let her out of this village! She went out and found me! Anyway, she knew I was a Sheikah from the very start and she raised me and trained me! Did I mention I was a pure blooded Sheikah...and the very last one? Oh! The blossom's in here!"

Zerin groaned as they followed her. The name of her race was familiar. He might have read it somewhere in a book about the history of Hyrule or one his mother's stories. She went on to explain about her race and what she had been doing for the past few years of her life. She continued to explain even as they came to one of the rundown buildings in the back.

Reni looked over at Zerin, "I'm surprised. She talks a lot more than you do. And that's saying something." She sighed.

"I don't talk that much." Zerin argued.

"Oh yes you do. And just like our little friend here," She said, pointing at Impaya, "Almost every single thing is about yourself." Zerin raised an eyebrow and said nothing in reply.

Impaya continued to talk even as their conversation went on behind her. She talked as she led Reni and Zerin into a room with a large hole in the ceiling so sunlight could shine on the blossoms; although they were still in the shadows a bit. It was the only place in the entire village that had grass. She stopped talking to ask him how many and then continued talking as she placed three flowers into the Prince's palm. She was still talking when they walked back to the entrance of the village.

"So when I turned four, my grandmother told me that my sole purpose in life is to protect and serve the royal family and I was not permitted to leave the village- or let anyone in- until a member of the royal family came for my help. And that's what I have been doing for the past twelve years of my life! Waiting for that king or queen, or prince or princess, who need my help!"

"Well, I'm here." Zerin chuckled nervously, not ready to hear the other eight years of her life, "And I need help."

"Don't we all." Reni groaned, looking at the flowers they received. The petals were red, but with black coloring to them.

"Well...thanks for everything." Zerin said, "We're going to leave now. Goodbye."

"Wait! I'm coming with you, my prince! It is my sole duty to protect you!" She said as Reni and Zerin turned around.

"Sorry, Impaya, I sort of already have a bodyguard..." Zerin motioned toward Reni. Reni stuck out her tongue at the girl.

"Her? Your bodyguard is your girlfriend...I had a feeling about that. You got have that whole bodyguard and royalty romance thing going on." Impaya said with a smirk.

"Where do people get these ideas from?" Reni groaned.

"She's just my worthless bodyguard!" Zerin shouted. Reni scowled at him.

"Worthless is right, my prince! I'm better than her! I took her down while I was still fighting you! Doesn't the most important figure in Hyrule want the best protection he can get?" Impaya said, posing in various combat poses.

"Hmm...she makes a good point..." Zerin stroked his chin.

"Let's go, Zerin." Reni groaned, grabbing his arm and dragging him along.

"Don't go!" Impaya shouted, bursting into tears once again, "P-Please take me with you. I've b-been waiting my whole l-life for this day, my prince."

Zerin sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, I understand you've been waiting in complete isolation-"

"Actually I've been living here with all my cats. They're nice company..." Impaya casually interrupted.

Zerin blinked, "Right...waiting for me for who knows how many years-"

"All my life. Twelve years, to be exact." She interrupted again.

"Stop doing that."

"Yes, my prince." She meekly bowed.

"Anyway, which all explain your terrible social skills, but I really don't think that this is going to..." Zerin's voice trailed off as he noticed Impaya's tears. She was just fine a second ago. He looked at Reni with a look of guilt.

"I'm not allowed to leave this village until someone from the Royal Family came for me! And you did! You came for me!" She shouted, gripping his clothes.

"I came for the flower! We have to get back to Kakariko Village before the sun sets." Zerin argued, trying to walk away from her constant tugging.

"Quit following us, you emotional psycho!" Reni shouted. Impaya stopped in her tracks, her face now firm with determination. She followed them all the way back to where Reni and Zerin left the horse.

"I'll prove it to you, my prince! I'll prove it to you both! I'll escort you! I'll make sure you and your worthless bodyguard are safe and get there before sunset!" Impaya smiled.

"Whatever." Reni scoffed, "We didn't have any trouble when we came into the field; we won't have any going out."

"We can never be too sure, Reni..." Zerin said, rubbing his chin, "I mean what if something does happen? And...I'll feel bad if we just leave her. I mean, she was waiting for all those years..."

"Fine. She can come." Reni said, as if Impaya was some sort of stray kitten Zerin wanted to keep. Speaking of kitten, they all came out again and were swarming at Impaya's feet. But they were ignored.

"Yes!" Impaya jumped in the air, "I promise I won't let you down!"

"Good." Zerin said, handing the flowers to Reni and getting on the horse first.

"Wait! I have to say goodbye to my cats!" Impaya shouted.

"You...what?" Reni blinked. Impaya bent down, petting and whispering sweet nothings to each and every cat that surrounded them. Who knows how many were there. Reni and Zerin stared in bewilderment.

"It just gets weirder and weirder." Zerin sighed.

"Impaya! We don't have time for this! We have to get there...before sunset!" Reni said between gritted teeth.

"Right!" Impaya stood up straight like a soldier, facing Zerin for her next command.

"You, uh...you wouldn't mind walking, would you?" He smiled nervously. Reni jumped onto the horse.

"Of course not! I can run too!" Impaya said, full of excitement.

"How nice." Zerin chuckled. Reni rolled her eyes. He whipped the reins against the horse, sending it off towards the Eldin Bridge.

.:.

The horse trotted quickly through the field. Impaya was right. She could run. The girl's speedy legs managed to keep up with the horse's speed effortlessly. Why, she was chock full of surprises. Reni wondered what'll happen if they come up across some monsters.

Impaya looked up at the pair as she ran alongside them, "See, my Prince? I told you I could run!"

"Indeed." Zerin said, still looking ahead of him.

Impaya gracefully leaped through the small bodies of water scattered throughout the field.

Reni and Zerin were relieved this time to not encounter any Bulblins or such. Impaya was quick to take out any of those nasty Bokoblins. They came across a few different and new creatures while crossing the field. One of them was small, but extremely quick. And it managed to lay explosives in Reni and Zerin's path. If Reni remembers, they were called Bomskits.

Although, Impaya was there to help before they ran into any of the bombs. The Bomskits may have been quick; however, Impaya chased them down and took each of them down. Zerin twitched; perhaps she was too good at killing things.

He steadied the horse, stopping by some odd ruins. He waited for Impaya to finish her massacre of the various creatures. Reni looked up at the sky, examining the placement of the sun.

"She's quite useful." Zerin commented with a smirk. Reni didn't reply.

After a few minutes, Impaya returned to Reni and Zerin's side, doing a serious of elaborate leaps and tricks before she was beside the pair.

"Show off." Reni muttered quietly.

Impaya looked up at Zerin, "The way is cleared, my prince!" She said.

"Good job, Impaya." Zerin gave her an encouraging smile, heading forward again.

Reni raised an eyebrow at him. She already noticed the fashion in which he talked to Impaya changed now. It was more regal, in a way. Perhaps that was the attitude he put on when he was around people in the palace, Reni wondered. He slapped on a smile and spoke to them with ease and authority. She smiled to herself, the attitude she has seen on their trip was completely different.

After some time, they were already on the path towards Kakariko Village. And some time after that, they were entering the village. The sun was only minutes away from setting. They arrived back just in time.

"You two made it!" Malo's voice came to them, "Took you long enough." His rude attitude arose as well. Reni jumped off the horse.

"We had a little help..." She said, showing the flowers to Malo. Impaya showed a grin at her comment. Zerin hopped off the horse as well, handing the reins back to Old Grierman.

"Let's hurry and take this to Luda." Malo said, pushing the pair towards Luda's home. His eyes looked over at the unfamiliar girl. She looked back up at him. Malo brushed off her weird appearance and followed Reni and Zerin.

Reni and Zerin hurried into Luda's home. As expected, she stood beside where the sick boy lay with his mother, Marianne. Luda looked up at Reni and Zerin with large, dark eyes.

"Do you have it?" She asked them. Reni responded by holding the blossom up to Luda. She grinned and took it carefully from her hands, "Perfect. It must have been much trouble to get this."

Reni and Zerin looked at each other with knowing glances.

They watched Luda prepare the medicine for the boy. She mixed it into a milky drink and then fed it to the boy. After a few minutes, the color came back to his face.

"It's working!" Marianne cried out joyfully.

"He'll need to rest for quite a while, though." Luda explained carefully to the woman. Marianne looked at Reni and Zerin, her eyes filled with joyful tears.

"I don't know how I'll be able to thank you." Marianne said. Zerin was about to open his mouth for a ridiculous request but Reni quickly cut him off.

"Not necessary."

Marianne did not say another word after that. Luda shuffled Reni and Zerin outside of the house, leaving the woman and her son alone. Luda smiled upon Reni and Zerin.

"How much trouble did it cost to retrieve the flower?" Luda inquired.

Reni and Zerin looked over at Impaya simultaneously, who had been waiting outside Luda's home for them. Luda raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Who's this?" She inquired once again.

"I'm Impaya, protector of the Royal Family!" Impaya introduced herself proudly.

"We'll talk about that, later." Zerin whispered.

"She was guarding the village we found the flower in. She helped us get back to the village in time." Reni explained. Luda smiled.

"Well, you're welcome to stay anywhere in this village, Impaya." Luda smiled.

Impaya grinned, "Can I bring my cats? I have twenty-seven! They don't bite, I swear!" Luda, Reni and Zerin gave her odd stares. Luda broke the silence with laughter and began walking away.

"Oh, aren't you funny…" Luda said as she returned to her home, leaving Reni, Zerin and Impaya outside.

"Thank you so much, Impaya. We wouldn't have been able to make it without you." Zerin smiled to their new friend, "We'll probably going to head out of this village soon. I've got quite a few places to go before I become king."

"What am I supposed to do?" Impaya asked sorrowfully. Zerin blinked.

"You can stay here if you like." Reni answered, "It's a nice village. Maybe you could work on those social skills."

"But I can't leave my prince like this!"

"Like what?"

"With absolutely no fighting skills whatsoever! The same goes for his lousy bodyguard! You won't survive out there much longer!" Impaya said, "And I have to keep to my duty to protect the Royal Family!"

"We've made it this far fine." Zerin shrugged.

"She's not coming with us." Reni nudged Zerin with a solid expression on her face. Impaya frowned.

"Although," Zerin placed a hand to his chin, "How about I make you a promise?" Impaya's eyes lightened with curiously at his words. "When I become king, I'll make you my official royal bodyguard." Impaya grinned wide.

"That would be an honor, my Prince!" She was overcome with immense joy.

"Great. See you later!" Zerin nodded, wanted to leave the conversation now. He and Reni began to walk away, back to the Inn. Impaya placed her hand to her chin in a thinking way.

"Wait!" She called after them, "Allow me to help you with one more thing! For the both of you!"

Reni and Zerin turned around.

"Your fighting skills are horrid, like I said! So let me train you! Just for a while, it'll do you two some good!" Impaya offered quickly. "I'll get you tough and strong, just like me!" She showed off the muscles in her right arm.

Reni and Zerin looked at each other; they've been doing that a lot lately.

"It doesn't sound like a bad idea." Reni said with a small smile, "I know I could use some training."

Zerin grinned, "Well, I do have three months. We have some time."

Impaya flashed a wide grin, "Great, we'll start tomorrow!" She turned around, "Now I just have to find a place to stay..." She mumbled to herself, heading towards Eldin Spring.

"What do you think we just got ourselves into?" Reni asked Zerin with a smirk.

"A few weeks full of hell." Zerin chuckled.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Impaya: **Impaya is the last known Sheikah in Hyrule. She's only twelve, but incredibly tough and quick for her age. She has terrible social skills, due to the fact that she's lived majority of her life alone with cats. Whenever she did interact with other people, she was usually chasing them out of the village. She's also quite over emotional. However, she's very strong-willed and determined, refusing to give up until the job is done. Impaya is not very educated. She can't read and the most she's taken is the pictures of a couple of Hylian magazines, a romance novel, history books and what her grandma told her. But just the pictures.


	13. The Promise

**KAPPALOCK:** Impaya loves cats. She loves every kind of cat. She just wants to hug all of them, but she can't. That's crazy! She can't hug every cat!

**Last Update: **2/15/12

.:.

Zelda thought he was safe. She thought he was going to come home soon. But now, she didn't know.

"Queen Zelda, I have terrible news." Colin entered the castle, "I'm afraid that your son has disappeared from Ordon Village."

Zelda's heart dropped, "Disappeared? People don't disappear."

"Well, to be more correct, he appears to have run away." Colin said. He wouldn't dare mention that his sister had given him the key to escape. Zelda let out a sad sigh and looked to the side. "My queen, I'm terribly sorry I had to deliver this news to you." Colin apologized.

"When did this happen?" Zelda asked. Colin was quite for a moment.

"Almost three weeks ago, my Queen." Colin said sheepishly.

"Why did you wait so long for you to deliver this news? My son had been missing from Ordon Village for almost three weeks now and I receive the news now?" Zelda inquired, now annoyed.

"I'm sorry; I don't know why we waited so long. Link's daughter ran away was well with the Prince. Link has already left the village to search for them." Colin apologized. Zelda looked away.

"Thank you, Colin." She said simply.

Colin nodded, took a bow, and departed the castle. Zelda rested back in her throne. Her royal entourage surrounded her, waiting for a comment, a request, anything. However, she waved them away. Zelda knew there was nothing to do. Link was looking for them now and if Zerin was with his daughter, perhaps he won't be harmed.

Maybe he'll even write to her.

.:.

"After three weeks of my training, I don't think I'm seeing an improvement, Prince Zerin!" Impaya sneered to the prince, dodging his sword whichever way he turned it.

Zerin effortlessly blocked Impaya various swings while maneuvering to put Impaya on the defensive side. Reni sat in the grass a few feet away, surrounded by Impaya's cats -which grew in number from twenty-seven to thirty-five. She watched as Impaya and Zerin danced around in the Hidden Village, their weapons clashing again each other with a _cling_ and a _clang_.

"I say I'm doing quite well for your torturous camp!" Zerin bravely retorted as he and Impaya continued their sword battle.

He remembered the three-week training plan all too well. Every morning, they would wake up at the crack of dawn and eat a lousy egg breakfast- which Impaya made them eat in under three minutes or else they lost time. Then she threw them outside for the morning ritual of stretching and a hardcore round of arm workouts and strength building. Following that was a large lunch, which they were forced to eat all of it whether they were full or not. Their afternoon to evening session was filled with sword training and sparring, which was a killer the first week. Then dinner, a twenty minute run, stretching and immediate bedtime under Impaya's watchful eye. Zerin remembered how sore his arms were just after the first two days. He couldn't catch a break, except for those few days Impaya was feeling very generous when new kittens arrived in her cat army. Yes, he just said cat _army_.

"Come on, Prince Zerin! Prove yourself!" Impaya declared. And with that, Zerin used Impaya's technique against her. Carefully turning his hand, Zerin twisted Impaya's dagger out of her hand and sent it flying in another direction; a move she taught him well. His sword stayed in place, armed toward Impaya.

She smiled proudly.

"Nice work." She placed her hands on her hips.

"I've only learned from the best." Zerin smiled in reply, placing his sword back into his scabbard slung on his back. Impaya grinned.

About three weeks ago, Reni and Zerin helped to save the life of a boy in Kakariko Village with the assistance of the last known Sheikah, Impaya. Horrified by their lack of fighting skills, Impaya sent the next few weeks training them constantly and the results, dare she say, were quite impressive.

"All those crunches and sit-ups did you well, my Prince!" Impaya joked, punching Zerin in the stomach.

"I remember when you couldn't even pick up your sword." Reni casually joked. Zerin chuckled.

"I remember when you tried to save me but still couldn't save yourself." Zerin smirked.

"Well, I think you're both capable now of protecting yourselves and each other." Impaya added.

"It's one month closer to my coronation. It's time to head out to see the rest of Hyrule, and I couldn't be more excited." Zerin said.

"I guess this is… goodbye?" Impaya said with a fake smile.

"Nonsense." Zerin placed both of his hands on her shoulders, looking down at the young girl, "Stay in Kakariko Village. Luda offered you a permanent home here. And then when I am king, you will be my royal bodyguard as promised."

"It'd be nice for you to get more social interactions in." Reni added.

Impaya couldn't contain her happiness. She let out a loud scream of joy. She ran around the field and scooped up several of the nearby cats into her arms.

"Do you hear that, kitties?" She exclaimed, "We're gonna live in the palace guarding the royal family!" She let out another thrilled shriek.

"Uh… Impaya?" Zerin blinked, reconsidering his offer now. Impaya stopped, dropped the cats, turned around and straightened herself up.

"I mean… my family's purpose in life is to serve and protect the Royal Family. And I will proudly do so!" She said formally.

"Good. That's better." Zerin nodded in approval and turned towards Reni, "Let's head back to Kakariko Village, so we can stock up on some things before we leave."

"Sounds good." She nodded, "And we should probably take another bath. Who knows when we'll find one again?"

"Wait." Impaya called to them, "There is one last thing I need to ask of you." She said sheepishly, averting her eyes.

"What is it?" Zerin inquired.

"Well, you see, before my grandmother passed, she left me this journal. There's all sorts of things in this journal about who my parents are and my _pure blooded _Sheikah heritage. I've kept it all these years but the only problem is that...I can't read." Impaya said in a near whisper, "The last thing I could ask is if you could possibly read page sixty-four to me. She said that was an important page about my parents." Impaya pulled out a small journal that mysteriously managed to fit into the pocket of her pants.

"Of course." Reni smiled, "You should probably ask someone to teach you while you're here." She said as she took the journal. She flipped through the pages. The handwriting was nice and neat, perfectly legible. Reni skimmed through it, mumbling as she did so. Zerin bent over to peer at it. She looked back up at Impaya with a straight face.

"What? What does it say?" Impaya asked.

"You're not a pure-blooded Sheikah." Reni said without a single stutter.

"What?" The most dreadful look of disappointment crossed over Impaya's face.

"Yep. Says here that you're mother was only partly Sheikah and your father was a full-on Hylian. Yet somehow you managed to get the perfect Sheikah traits, isn't that funny?" Reni chuckled. She looked up, "Uh...Impaya?" The young girl was lying on the ground, crying out in shame and disappoint at the heritage she was once though she had.

"Everything I know is a lie!" She cried out.

"That's not true, Impaya..." Zerin said, trying to comfort her. But his attempts were useless.

Reni slowly set down the journal and backed away. She and Zerin stared at her for a few moments. Reni rolled her eyes, "She'll get over it. Let's go."

.:.

"My father was here?" Reni shuddered at the news delivered by Luda as she and the rest of the group shared a cup of tea at her home.

"He arrived in the village last week and stayed a few days. I believe he was looking for you. He did ask quite a few questions." Luda smiled.

"What did he ask? What did you say?" Reni nearly jumped from her seat to get the information out of Luda.

"He just asked me if you've been in the village, where have you been, where you are, where you are going, who you are with, and what are you doing." Luda said, taking a sip of her tea, "I, of course, told him you have been in the village. However, you and Zerin left without a word so I could not tell him the answer to the last question. I answered to the best of my ability." Luda raised an eyebrow, "Did you run away from home?"

"Maybe." Reni sat back in her seat, blowing an orange strand of hair from her face.

"If is not to be discussed, then it won't be." Luda said calmly.

"Do you know where he went?" Reni asked.

"So we won't head in that direction?" Zerin added quietly in a mocking tone. Reni glared at him in a spiteful way, frightening the prince a bit.

"He never said." Luda said, full of honesty. Reni sighed.

"Well, Zerin and I are going to head out soon. We've got places to go, people to visit. You know the deal." Reni shrugged.

"A little adventure? Where to next?" Luda inquired.

"Who knows?" Zerin shrugged.

The village had gathered to bid Reni and Zerin goodbye.

"Good luck out there. Go check up on my shop in Castle Town. Make sure it's doing okay." Malo said to the pair without an ounce of emotion on his face.

"Will do." Reni nodded.

"Thank you, once again. We can't thank you enough for saving my boy's life. Good luck!" Marianna shook hands with the pair. Reni and Zerin smiled in reply.

"Take these. They're healing herbs and you'll never know when you'll need them." Luda said, handing Reni fuzzy, odd-shaped bright green leaves. Reni placed them in the pouch that contained her rupees.

"Thank you, Luda." Zerin nodded.

Impaya stepped forward and grinned at the pair. She appeared to have finally gotten over the life-shattering news she heard earlier.

Zerin smiled at her, "It was an honor meeting y-"

He couldn't finish. Impaya interrupted as she jumped at Zerin, embracing him tightly and wrapping both arms tightly around the prince's neck. Zerin was stunned by her sudden actions, failing to return the hug instantly.

"The honor was mine. Thank you for freeing me from the village." Impaya whispered to Zerin. At this, Zerin returned her hug fondly.

Impaya released and looked at Reni, who stared back, with a bit of withdrawal in her gaze.

Reni raised a hand to pat Impaya's back, "We'll see you around, ki-"

Reni could not finish as well. Impaya wrapped her arms around Reni, squeezing her into a hug as well. Reni failed to return one, but stood astonished by Impaya's sudden displays of affection. Impaya released and stepped back.

"Well, I'll see you guys in a month. Right?" Impaya said with hopeful eyes.

"R-Right." Zerin said, shaking off his outfit.

"Goodbye!" The village called to Reni and Zerin as they headed out of the village and back into Hyrule Field. Reni and Zerin returned the farewell continued on their way towards their next destination. Reni looked back once more before they left, and watched as everyone returned to their homes while they left the village.

She looked over at her companion, "Are you really going to keep your promise to Impaya?"

"Of course I am." Zerin smiled, "I am going to be king of Hyrule. A good king should keep promises to all of his people."

"How noble." Reni grinned, "Then promise me something."

"What?"

"I don't know, just make me a promise." Reni smiled, "So that way I can know that you're true to word."

"Like a test? How untrusting." Zerin raised an eyebrow, "Nevertheless, I promise you…" Zerin ran a hand across his chin in a thinking manner. When he thought of something, he looked at her, "I've got it. I promise you the first dance at my coronation."

Reni laughed, forcing a smile out of Zerin. "Really? The king of Hyrule would dance with an annoying village girl?" She said, remembering him talking in his sleep.

"A promise is a promise." Zerin nodded.

"Alright. Then I'll be expecting that dance, your highness." Reni said with a chuckle and a fake bow. She looked away and then walked ahead of Zerin a bit. But Zerin did not look away from her.

.:.

They returned to Kakariko Gorge and found themselves back in the southern part of Hyrule Field. Thanks to Impaya, they travelled without worry; successfully defeating any creature that tried to attack them. However, their travelling came to stop when they came between the path to Lake Hylia and the path to Hyrule Castle Town.

Reni stopped in her tracks, examining the map as Zerin proudly fought with a Bulblin the background. Reni placed her hand to her chin in a thinking position.

"Zerin?" Reni called to him, not really caring though if he was paying attention or not; which he wasn't. "Can we visit Castle Town?"

Instead, Zerin was finish off the Bulblin and danced around as the creature was defeated and exploded into a pile of ashes. Zerin spun his sword in his hand in a dazed manner as he walked around.

"And the winner, still undefeated, Prince Zerin of Hyrule!" Zerin cheered for himself, "No creature can stand his mighty sword skills! He just might be the greatest prince in Hyrule!"

Reni rolled her eyes, watching as Zerin paraded around. She crossed her arms and chuckled, amused by his little show.

Zerin heard her chuckles and faced her with a smirk, "Not even lowly farm girl, Reni, can match his skills!" Zerin announced, raising his sword towards her.

"Yes she can!" Reni grinned, not really caring that she and Zerin were speaking omnisciently for this conversation, "She did, after all, win majority of those sparring matches Impaya put them through." She said, lowering the tip of his sword with a finger.

"Ah, but not the last one." Zerin disagreed.

"That's where you're mistaken. This farm girl won that fight. Remember, she did that move where she rammed into the prince's side and overtook him within a second." Reni grinned.

"But the gallant prince did get back on his feet and continue to fight." Zerin said, taking a step back and posing in a mid bow.

"True, true. Let's say it was tie, then."

"Agreed."

They both let out a chuckle and became silent for a few moments.

"Zerin." Reni called his name once again, looking back at the map.

"Yes, Reni." Zerin answered, lying on his back in the grass.

"Can we go to Castle Town next?" She asked him. Zerin looked up at her.

"But Castle Town is boring. Nothing goes on there. I've lived there my whole life. I've seen it before." Zerin groaned, "You won't enjoy it." Zerin raised a hand and tugged at the map in Reni's hand, pulling it down to his eye level. He examined it for a second and then replied, "Let's go to Lake Hylia instead. I've never been there."

"Well, neither have I. But I've never been to Castle Town either." Reni argued.

"You won't enjoy it." Zerin repeated, rolling over on his side away from her. Reni placed her hands on her knees and lowered herself down.

"Please, Zerin." Reni smiled, "Just for one day. And then we can head straight to Lake Hylia. I promise."

Zerin rolled back over to look at her, "Just one day?"

"Just one day." She nodded. He was silent for a few moments.

"Look, either way I'm going; with or without you." Reni said, now a bit annoyed with his stubbornness.

"Fine. We can go." Zerin yawned. Reni smiled.

"Let's camp around here for the night. We can go to Castle Town tomorrow." Reni said. Not that they really could camp; they didn't carry anything around but weapons and a small Rupee bag on Reni's waist. Zerin yawned once more.

"Okay." He said groggily, standing up so they could find somewhere to sleep. They found a little concealed area, hidden under some trees and between the large boulders where the creatures probably wouldn't look around. They relaxed on the hard ground and tried to fall asleep.

"Goodnight, Reni." Zerin said. Reni paused.

"Goodnight, Zerin." She said quietly. She closed her eyes.

She now wondered where her father was right now and what he was doing.

.:.

Link sighed as he relaxed in the grass. He took a large bit from his loaf of bread, before feeding the rest of it to Epona. Link sighed, it was getting pretty late and he didn't quite know where to head next. He took his map, old and torn. It was covered with all sorts of markings so Link had to squint to see the map clearly through the marks.

"Where to next, Epona?" Link casually asked his horse. Epona did not reply and Link merely chuckled in response.

"Reni wasn't in the Faron Woods or Kakariko Village. She was just there a few weeks ago, so she and the prince couldn't have gotten far." Link spoke to Epona, although he knew she wasn't really listening.

"How does Castle Town sound? Maybe she'll be there. She did talk about it all of the time…" Link sighed. Epona let out a quiet neigh when she finished her bread. Link chuckled and ran his fingers through her mane.

"Well, then it sounds a plan." Link smiled. He folded the map and put it in his pocket. He lay on his back and stared up into the night sky. "Castle Town. Let's do it tomorrow, shall we?"

Link began to shut his eyes, but they blinked back open. Something was off. Link felt a strange feeling in his left hand and rose up. He watched as the Triforce of Courage faded from his hand. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Well, that's strange..." Link said to no one. He remembered how Zelda's Triforce piece disappeared a while ago. Link shrugged it off; perhaps the Goddesses were just taking the pieces back. He looked back up at the sky. He'll worry about it later.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

Basically I threw a three-week time skip in there because I can. Reni and Zerin have gotten closer as a result of spending three weeks together isolated in a village with a little girl who's a rather crazy mentor. Impaya's cats decided to grow in numbers.


	14. The Market

**KAPPALOCK:** I've got a thing for Candy Land characters now, especially Mr. Mint. Did you hear that Universal is planning on making a live-action movie based on the board game? And still no Zelda movie yet? Nuts, right? Probably all just rumors though...

**Last Update: **2/16/12

.:.

Reni woke up with a loud yawn. She rolled over onto her side, coming into contact with Zerin's back. She let out a small groan as she slowly rose up, greeting the sun with sleepy eyes. She nudged Zerin slightly to wake him up and he responded by rolling over onto his back.

"Good morning." Reni groaned as she blinked her eyes open. She always woke up first.

"I had a terrible dream." Zerin said, rubbing his left eye with his fist.

"What of?" She asked, although she wasn't really that interested.

"I… I don't really recall." Zerin said as he tried to remember. He remembered bits and pieces. He remembered floating in black space. Farore was in there somewhere. It was actually kind of dark and scary for dream containing a praised golden goddess.

"Well, you sure did talk enough last night." Reni said as she stood up, "Now we're gonna head to Castle Town, right?"

Zerin stood up sleepily, "Yeah, I guess…" He stretched his arms out to his sides. He sighed loudly. The dream slowly began to clear up to him as he became more awake. He froze as a jolt suddenly rushed through his body.

Reni looked back at him, "Well, we should probably get go-"

Zerin interrupted with a sudden cry of pain. He dropped to his knees as a searing, burning pain suddenly flooded through his body without warning.

"Zerin!" Reni quickly turned around and dropped to his side.

Zerin felt the pain through his entire body but the pain in his right hand intensified. Zerin tucked his burning hand into his chest while his face creased in pain. His whole body violently shook as beads of sweat fell from his forehead.

"Zerin! W-what's wrong?" Reni asked him, her eyebrows furrowing in worry.

"Everything...my hand...burns..." He managed to gasp out before letting out another grunt.

"What? Your hand?" Reni said in a frantic rush, "What do I do? What can I do?" She reached over and took his hand. His hand was freezing, but it was red from the intense burn Zerin spoke of. However, there was no visible sign of what was causing the pain. Reni didn't know what to do. She panicked as Zerin continued to double over in pain.

"D-do I go get help?" Reni asked herself, placing her hand on Zerin's back.

"No...no wait. The pain's...easing up." Zerin grunted. His breathing slowly began to return to normal and his body began to relax. Reni let out a sigh of relief when Zerin looked at her with weak eyes.

"What was that all about?" Reni asked.

"Hell if I know. That was...crazy..." Zerin said as he continued to catch his breath, "It still burns though."

Reni bit her lip. She remembered the leaves Luda gave her. Luda never explained how to use them or what they were for but they were worth a shot. Reni dug into her pouch and took them out, "Here, give me your hand. Maybe these will help with the pain...I don't know how, but it'll be worth a shot."

Zerin complied as Reni began to remove the white tape off her left wrist. She wrapped them them over his hand, trapping the leaves onto his skin. Zerin stared at her as she worked.

"There." Reni said when she finished. "I didn't see anything wrong with your hand. That was really...really scary."

"Yeah…" Zerin blinked, inspecting his bandaged hand.

"Don't scare me like that again." Reni glared at him. Zerin smiled at her.

"I'll try not to."

"Let's start heading down to Castle Town." Reni grinned, "Great goddess, I'm so excited."

"Yeah, Castle Town…" Zerin smiled over the memories. He stopped mid-step. "Wait! Reni!" Zerin called out to her.

"What now?"

"I can't go into Castle Town looking like this!" Zerin motioned to his royal outfit, "The guards will see me and take me back to the castle!"

"Oh well." Reni shrugged.

"Reni!" Zerin crossed his arms.

"Okay, fine." Reni smirked at the prince. "We'll just…change your appearance. Y'know, a disguise." Zerin raised an eyebrow at her suggestion. Reni placed a hand to her chin. "Start by taking off your jewelry; your earrings, the crown and all of that. And that sash too." Zerin complied, without obvious reluctance. He removed his crown, handing it carefully to Reni. He took out the red feather earrings and silver plates over his boots. And then he removed the maroon sash over his white shirt.

"Be careful with those." Zerin directed Reni.

"I'm just going to put them in a hidden location, okay? No one's going to find them." Reni sighed.

"Let's hope not." Zerin sent her an unfriendly stare. Reni rolled her eyes.

"Now the sword." She directed.

"I'm not removing my sword." Zerin gave her a defiant stare and places his hand defensively over the hilt. Reni blinked.

"What's the big deal? That hilt is way too attention-getting."

"It's my father's sword. Thieves can take my crown and jewels, but I would die before I let them take my father's sword." Zerin's abrupt passion surprised Reni.

"Well, how can I say no to that? Let's just hope you don't get noticed." She gave him a sympathetic shrug and a smile. She looked at him again, "I think we need just a couple of items. I'll be right back, just stay here." Reni sat Zerin down on a nearby rock as she ran towards the nearby bridge in castle town. She came out a few minutes later, holding some brown items.

"These were incredibly cheap, so I'm thinking that no one would even glance twice at you if you're wearing these." Reni gave him a crooked smile. Zerin looked at the items she held; a brown hat and pair of brown shoes that were made from similar material and some sort of other brown piece of fabric. He looked back at her with an expression that read 'are you serious?'.

"I'm not wearing those." Zerin frankly said.

Reni glared at him, "But you have to! Your shoes are too noticeable, and people are going to recognize your hair."

"I don't wear peasant clothing." Zerin crossed his arms.

"Well… I mean, we could just cut your hair off then…" Reni innocently shrugged.

"Fine. I'll wear them." Zerin groaned, taking the shoes from her and replacing his silver ones. He scooped his long, brown locks and hid them inside the brown hat. Reni took the brown cloth and put it over the golden hilt of Zerin's sword to disguise it.

"Ugh. This is so gross." Zerin whined, standing up to show Reni the final product. Reni blinked in surprise. Underneath all of the jewelry and clothing, Zerin looked completely… normal and plain.

"If someone told me you were a prince, I'd probably laugh." Reni smiled, "I did a good job." Zerin groaned in reply. "You'll thank me later." Reni smiled, taking his hand and dragging the irate prince towards the town.

.:.

Reni and Zerin entered the hustle and bustle of the market. People walked from place to place. Music filled the streets from a nearby band and others gathered in groups for the latest gossip.

"Isn't it amazing, Zerin?" Reni beamed at the marketplace.

"I suppose." Zerin shrugged, not impressed.

"Look at all of the shops!" Reni was shaking in excitement, "Let's go this way!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him in the other direction. Zerin placed a hand on top of his hat to keep it in place.

"Look, Reni. I'd just _love_ to prance around Castle Town all day with you, holding hands and all of that nonsense." Zerin sighed. At his comment, Reni dropped her hand from his. He continued, "But I've already seen all of this. And just to tell you, it's nothing special."

"Oh please, Zerin. I'm sure there are parts of the town you haven't seen. You go take a look down those roads, and I'll just look around for myself. We'll meet each other at that little café when we're done." Reni suggested.

"Fine. Have fun." Zerin sighed. Reni smiled and began walking away.

Zerin looked at the roads he could travel through, and made his way down to the south road. He walked past the same goods stands. He walked past the same bumbling guards, who didn't even look at him once. Reni's disguise was effective.

But the lowly village girl was right; there were a few places he'd never been. Zerin noticed a white cat, sitting at the bottom of some steps he'd never taken notice to before. She scratched a nearby doorway and meowed loudly, as if asking to be let in. Zerin opened the door and the cat strolled inside.

"There you are, Louise! Was that you scratching at the door?" A woman's voice greeted the white cat. Zerin peered inside. The room was warm and welcoming. It was a bar. Zerin stepped inside a bit, but still stayed at the entrance.

"Come in, honey! Thanks for letting Louise in." The woman greeted him. Zerin blinked and looked towards the source. A woman stood behind the counter, petting the white cat and giving him a smile. She was a tanned, busty woman; but her eyes and smile were both very welcoming. Zerin stepped into the room and looked around.

"Welcome to my bar. My name's Telma." She greeted him, "Now, you look a little young so don't think I can serve you anything good, but you're welcome to stay here. What's your name?"

Zerin blinked, "Why, I'm Zer…uh..." Zerin tried to think of a name as he began sounding out his own name in a whisper. He needed something cool and serious, which was impossible because his current name was already the coolest in existence. But he was sure he could think of something almost as great. He looked around the room for inspiration. "…Ham." Somehow, the prince decided to take the name of the nearby meat atop the shelves behind Telma. Zerin silently yelled at himself for choosing such a stupid name. What kind of name is Ham?

"Zerham?" Telma inquired.

"Yeah, whatever." Zerin said. She just made his already-stupid fake name sound even stupider.

"That's a… interesting name."

"Yeah, I was unloved as a child." Zerin shrugged. Zerham had to have some sort of sad back story. Maybe he was an orphan, or something.

"How old are you?" She asked.

"Sixteen." He replied with a nod.

"Well, you're always welcome here, Zerham." Telma smiled.

"Thanks." Zerin smiled. Telma looked over to a table, set in a separate room. The table was filled with four people, chatting away over a large spread out map.

"Hey, this here is Zerham. Looks like we've got ourselves a young swordsman, here." Telma called to the attention of the group. She took notice to the sword hanging at his waist. "If you need anything, just ask honey." Telma winked.

The group looked at the young prince in disguise.

"Are you good with that sword, Zerham?" One of the men asked. He looked familiar to Zerin.

"That's an odd name." The only female of the group commented. Zerin walked over.

"A little…" Zerin said as he walked over. These people looked tough; he didn't want to anger them by tooting his own horn. Now he knew why the man looked so familiar. It was Colin, from Ordon Village. Zerin took a step back, hoping the man wouldn't recognize him.

"Come over here, kid. Don't be shy." Colin smiled at him. He didn't seem to recognize Zerin, so he felt safe to move forward. "My name's Colin." He motioned around the table; "This is Auru." He motioned to the oldest of the group. "Shad." He motioned to an intelligent-looking man with glasses. "And this is Ashei." The only woman at the table. "Have you fought any monsters?"

"A few." Zerin shrugged.

"It's great to see young people getting out in the world. You travel much, Zerham?" Colin asked.

"A little." Zerin once again replied. The group chuckled at Zerin's apparent shyness. He just didn't want his cover to be blown. Zerin looked at the large map of Hyrule outstretched on the table. "What're you doing over here?" He inquired.

"Just discussing politics." Shad smiled. Zerin raised an eyebrow.

"I like politics." He said. The group looked at each in confusion.

"You know much about politics?" Auru questioned him, giving the boy an unfriendly stare. Zerin gave him a slight smile. "Most kids don't care for politics. Care to prove what you know?" Auru inquired. Zerin gave a slight shrug and nodded in reply.

Auru gave Zerin question after question on Hyrule's current stand on political issues, the royal family, the royal tax, and other questions Zerin knew well enough about. Auru was well pleased as Zerin answered the questions with ease.

"Looks like this kid knows just as much as you do on Hyrule Politics." Shad chuckled.

"A boy who travels and is well informed on current political issues! It's a rare sight to see?" Auru smiled, "Come, join us."

"Be warned, Auru gets really heated in political discussions." Colin joked.

Auru suddenly began to rant; "Of course I do! The next king hasn't done much for Hyrule since announcing he was going to take the throne! He should come to us, asking what's best for Hyrule, since he clearly doesn't know!" Zerin balled up his hand into a fist.

"See what I mean…" Colin pinched the center of his forehead.

"Oh really?" Zerin crossed his arms. He tried to keep down his anger, although he admitted that he understood what Auru was talking about. Zerin never really thought about his political goals after he takes the throne.

"We've been trying to get notice from the Royal Family for years. All these idle guards can't do anything for the city. We've got Colin here training to be a knight, so he can rise to the top a turn around the guards around Castle Town. King Zerin did a good job raising an army, but not good enough. Hyrule can't be run by people who never leave their castle to see what's going on outside the walls. We know what Hyrule needs." Auru ranted on, now nearly shouting and slamming his fist on the table.

"And just _who_ are you?" Zerin shouted back.

Auru motioned for Zerin to lean in closer. The boy leaned in to Auru and he leaned in to whisper close to the boy, "We're 'the Resistance'."

"What's that?"

"Our goal is to restore peace. Although we haven't had much to do in a while, so we've just devoted our time to political goals." Ashei explained.

"Maybe when you're older, you could join our cause, Zerham." Shad smiled.

"It sounds like you guys know what you're talking about. Maybe one day, you'll get an audience with Prince Zerin." Zerin smirked. The group laughed.

"Yeah, right! Why would the prince of Hyrule give us his presence?" Shad laughed, "We tried to get Colin here to get the prince to see us but the prince was gone the next day!"

Zerin smiled, "You'd be surprised."

"Speaking of which, have you seen a girl anywhere with bright orange hair and goes by the name 'Reni'? Probably travelling with the prince of Hyrule." Colin asked.

"How does some village girl get the audience of the prince and we don't?" Ashei mumbled.

"Nope." Zerin lied with ease.

"Okay, well just tell me if you do. Her dad's been looking for her for weeks. I think he's in the town right now." Colin said.

"He's what?" Zerin gasped. Colin blinked and raised an eyebrow. "I, uh… I have to go! It was nice to meet all of you!" Zerin nodded as he began to rush out the door. He had to warn Reni!

"Um… okay. Bye… Zerham." Shad blinked as Zerin left the bar.

.:.

Reni strolled throughout the city, taking notice of all the stands and shops and people. She listened to the music and admired the people who rushed by her. Reni didn't quite know where she wanted to go first in the city. She walked around, staring at her surroundings and not paying attention to where she was walking. She suddenly came into contact with another body and fell to the ground.

"Hey!" Reni groaned to the person she just collided with. She stood up and looked at who she collided with, as they still stood towering over her. "Watch where you're going next… time…" Reni's voice trailed off as she stared wide eyed at who she ran into.

"Oh Farore, I'm in trouble." Reni whispered to herself. Indeed, she was in a tremendous amount of trouble. She coughed and looked up the man glaring down at her, "H-Hi… father." Reni averting looking into Link's eyes.

"Hi?" Link repeated her, "Hi? I've been looking for you all over Hyrule for the past month and all you can say is hi?" Link was now shouting. Reni winced with every word he spoke and the crowd began to slowly move out of their way. Reni was pretty fearful of her father's wrath at this point and avoided looking directly at him.

"Father, please, this really isn't the time or place..." Reni sheepishly looked at the people that stared at them.

"I cannot believe you pulled a stunt like this. Actually, yes I can. Because that's what you do, Reni; you pull stunts and only think of yourself." Link shouted at her. She blinked at him.

"That's not true!" Reni shouted back. She couldn't help but shout now; "You wouldn't let me leave for some stupid reason you never told me! Maybe if you were just honest with me…"

"Oh, you want to talk about honesty?" Link interrupted her, "Fine. I honestly think that this is the stupidest thing you've ever done! You're just a child, Reni! You can't just leave home whenever you feel like it!"

"But you went out and saved Hyrule! I just want to go places!" Reni yelled, "I'm not a child!"

"There are things you just don't understand!"

"I understand enough!"

Link paused, out of breath from all of the screaming and yelling. He took a step back. Reni glowered at him, tired from yelling as well. Plus, people _were _staring and it was getting embarrassing for both of them. He looked at her and noticed the sword on her back. "So, you got a sword."

"It's nothing. I just got it from this friend." Reni avoided his stare.

"Do you know how to use it?" Link crossed his arms, "I know I never trained you."

"I don't need you to train me." Reni glared at him.

"Prove it."

Reni stared into his blue eyes firmly. She clenched her fist tightly and smirked. She reached behind her back to the grip of her sword.

"Gladly, Father."

.:.

Zerin ran through the city, looking for Reni. He certainly didn't know what would happen when Link and Reni reunite, and he certainly didn't want to know. He ran into a large crowd, gathered around one area of the town. He used his elbows to pry his way through the crowd.

"What's going on?" He heard a woman ask as he moved his way through.

"Some sort of sword battle. I think they're father and daughter. There was some yelling going on earlier." Another explained.

"Looks like the Hero is back."

Zerin was too late. He came to the front of the crowd to see Reni engaged in combat with her father. Their swords clashed and everyone watched in awe. Zerin could see Reni was on the defensive. She didn't have the strength or skills to defeat her father, although she was clearly willing to try. Link pushed their battle into one of the alleyways. Zerin quickly shoved his way out of the crowd and followed them.

Reni focused on dodging Link's attacks. Link blocked every attack she turns on him. Reni admitted it was foolish to accept his challenge, but how else was he ever going to take her seriously if she didn't prove herself. They moved around so much that Reni had no clue where they were going. Eventually, somehow they ended up on the gable roof of some building. Reni probably jumped up on something when she was dodging his attacks and jumped up onto the roof from there.

Now it was getting a bit dangerous. Zerin could usually use one hand to hold his sword, since the blade was thin. But her blade was heavier, so she used two hands. But she needed one hand to keep balance. Link had her in the perfect place. She could fight back with two hands and risk losing balance or she could use retain balance but not be able to fight back. Reni decided to use the first one. But when Link came at her with another blow, she regrettably let one hand go to regain her balance again. Link took advantage of this opportunity and took another blow at her sword. The sword went flying out of her hand and into a small, unreachable space between two homes. That sword was lost now.

Reni stared at Link with wide eyes. She was defenseless and Link's sword was pointed at her. Of course, he wouldn't kill her. But she really wasn't in the mood to know the amount of trouble she was in now and death seemed like an easier option. She began to back away towards the edge of the roof. She mistakenly took another step, losing her footing off the roof.

She thought was going to fall. But a strong hand caught hers and pulled her back onto the roof. It held on and Reni stared at her father. She looked down, ashamed of her defeat. Link put away his sword and sighed.

"I think we should talk…"

.:.

Reni swung her legs from the edge of the roof as Link sat down beside her.

"You know, Reni, I'm disappointed with… just everything." Link sighed. Reni let out a groan. He looked at her and chuckled, "But while I was out looking for you I started to realize something. Maybe this whole thing isn't entirely your fault."

Reni blinked in surprise and looked at Link.

"I didn't come here to yell at you." Link said, "I just came to find you and tell you what needed to be said. But when I saw you, I was just so angry with everything…" Link said quietly. Reni let him continue to talk. "You're right. You're not a child anymore. But I suppose I didn't want you going out into Hyrule and see all of the things I've seen."

"You've seen so much." Reni sighed, "I should have listened."

"We both should have." Link replied, "On your birthday, I went to Castle Town to pick up a few items. I was going to let you leave."

"You… what?" Reni repeated, in pure shock.

"You have every right to see Hyrule, Reni. I shouldn't have stopped you." Link admitted. Reni stared at Link, not being able to reply. He reached over to his side and handed her a brown sack. "Open it." Link smiled. Reni tore into the bag; the first thing she pulled out was new travelling outfit she'd have to try on later. The next thing was a long and light sword.

Reni gasped in awe and observed the hilt and blade. She felt the hilt with her fingers, "It looks like a goat…" Reni squinted her eyes.

"It's to remind you of your home." Link smiled. Reni looked at him. She suddenly looked away, and covered her eyes. "Reni?" Link blinked.

"You're going to make me cry." Reni avoided a glance. Link gave her a soft smile and outstretched his arms. Reni fell into them, embracing her father in a hug. Once they broke away, Reni looked back into the bag for the last items. It was a large black piece of cloth, decorated with blue circular symbols.

"That was your mother's." Link smiled.

"Why won't you tell me about my mother?" Reni asked him, changing the subject.

"If you knew about her, you'd go and look for her." Link said, "And, that's something that would be _very_ dangerous."

"But father, I-"

"Reni." Link stopped her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "You'd just have to trust me on this." Reni sighed and nodded.

"I'm sorry… for everything, father." Reni apologized quietly.

"As am I." Link smiled. Reni smiled back. Her father always had that way; you could never stay mad at him for too long. Link stood up, "Now let's get off this roof before we get yelled at. And you can try on that new outfit Ilia tailored for you. Speaking of Ilia, you should really appreciate her more. She did raise you." Link cocked an eyebrow.

"Of course, father." Reni smirked.

Reni entered the changing room at Malo Mart. She stared at herself in the mirror when she finished changing into her new outfit. She guessed that her father would have given her an outfit reminiscent of his old Hero's tunic, but that was hardly the case. This outfit was entirely different. She wasn't just the Hero of Hyrule's daughter; she was her own person.

The sleeveless pale blue top complimented her vibrant orange hair. She wore a dark brown waist corset, laced up in the front. Luckily, it wasn't one of those corsets meant to make ladies skinner or bustier. That would've been weird. Two silver shoulder pads were placed on either side of the sleeveless shirt. The pads were decorated with Hylian symbols and markings. On each wrist, Reni wore dark brown lace up gauntlets. However, she kept the tape tied around her right fist. Tight pale blue shorts cut off an inch or so above her knee. Reni took her mother's fabric and wrapped it around her hips. She tied the ends together at her waist and the fabric fell to her calves. She pulled up her dark brown boots to her knees. They were covered by dark brown lace up boot covers that looked the same as her gauntlets and corset. Link had given her a belt to hold her scabbard on her back. She belted it over her chest, completing her outfit.

Reni walked out of the dressing room, taking her old Ordon outfit with her. Link smiled when he saw her in the new travelling clothes. He took her old Ordon outfit from her hands.

"It looks great. I'll just take your old clothes back home." Link said, "Fit just right?"

"Perfectly." Reni replied, "Give Ilia my thanks." Link nodded in reply. Reni noticed a boy standing off to the side watching the pair, disguised in a peasant hat and boots. Reni smirked at him.

"I'll be seeing you at the Ordon Festival, right? It's in about a week." Link crossed his arms.

"Oh right! I almost forgot. Of course I'll be there." Reni nodded.

"You're invited as well, Zerin." Link rolled his eyes, looking at the boy watching them. They noticed Zerin twitch, but still act as though he didn't hear Link. Link chuckled, "You should really write to your mother, young man. She gets worried easily." He looked back at Reni, "I guess I should get back home. You can tell me all about your adventure when you come back for the festival. Ilia and Beth are making you two some new Ordon outfits for the festival. She's taken such a liking to sewing. Let's just say that we're all getting pajamas for the next few birthdays." He said thoughtfully. Reni laughed quietly. There was a short moment of silence.

"Goodbye, father." She said, wrapping her arms around his once more and squeezing. Link hugged back.

"I'll see you in a week." Link said, "Goodbye, Reniah." Link teased his daughter with her full name before leaving Castle Town.

Zerin creeped over by Reni's side. "Reniah." He chuckled.

"Shut up." Reni elbowed his side playfully, "Apparently I was named after my mother's friend or something, I don't know."

"You don't want to hear the fake name I came up with in the bar." Zerin sighed.

"You went to a bar? I have to hear about this." Reni smirked.

"Nothing happened. But I did learn something new about being king. I'm glad we came." Zerin said with a pleased smile.

"So am I." Reni sighed, "So what was your name?"

"Zerham." Zerin said with a bit of embarrassed laughter. Reni snickered at him and then let out a relaxed sigh. She looked over at his hand, "Are you still hurting

"I'm living with the pain. It's still there but it's getting lighter." Zerin shrugged. He looked at her up and down, "Nice outfit."

"Thanks." Reni smiled, "You about ready to leave town yet? The sun's about to set."

"I think there's one more thing you should see." Zerin mentioned. She let him take her hand and lead them to the building behind the small café. The building was empty and filled with wooden crates. The only light was the light emitting through the small windows. Zerin let her up the stairs and down the hallway to a stone balcony.

Reni stepped out onto the balcony. They looked over the entire town, and the sunset emitting besides the castle created a beautiful setting. Reni sighed, "Zerin, it's gorgeous."

"One of the servants showed me this place when I was young. It's quite an embarrassing story. I was throwing a fit and I guess they thought that showing me this setting would just calm me" Zerin let out a nostalgic sigh, "And they were right." He finished with a quiet and short laugh. Reni rested her arms along the stone railing.

Zerin removed his hat, letting his brown hair fall back onto his shoulders. He rested himself on the railing next to her. He looked at the castle and then back at Reni.

"It really is beautiful, Zerin." Reni smiled at Zerin, brushing her hair out of her face. Zerin looked at her. Her hair matched the color of the sunset.

"It sure is."

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Shad:** The scholar of the Resistance. He has a thing for Ashei.

**Ashei:** The warrior of the Resistance. She has a thing for Shad, but she won't admit it.

**Auru:** The oldest member of the Resistance. He likes the Gerudo Desert, History, and Politics.

**Telma:** She owns a pub and likes to flirt with young men. She's badass.

We're gonna throw out that Rusl died in the war. Colin met with the Resistance later and they told him that his father was a part of their group. Colin then joined them.

I suck at fighting scenes and Link is a chill dad. Go figure.


	15. The Lullaby

**KAPPALOCK:** This chapter was a bitch to write. And not the good kind.

**Last Update: **2/17/12

.:.

Zerin brushed off the non-existent dust off of his crown before replacing it on his head.

"I told you. Your things are safe and sound." Reni grinned. Zerin was wary of her hiding place at first, but all of his items appeared to be in perfect condition, as they were before. After Zerin finished putting back on his items, Reni gave away the ones she bought and they left for their next destination.

"The Zora's Domain?" Reni pointed the map, "Instead of Lake Hylia? There's where to next?"

"Yep." Zerin nodded, "And then we can go back to Ordon for the festival."

"You're starting to act like you're running this thing." Reni placed her hands on her hips. Zerin shrugged and gave her a soft smirk.

"Then north it is." Reni let out a defeated sigh, "Now we could go around Castle Town and go through Hyrule Field to get to the north. Or we could go the quicker way, which is the way we went when we headed to the hidden village." Reni said as she closed up the map tightly and placed it in one of the pockets of the belt holding her sword.

They were in the east side of Hyrule Field now, right outside the walls of Castle Town. Zerin raised an eyebrow after hearing the travelling options.

"Do you really have to ask?" He sarcastically inquired. Reni smirked.

.:.

"When I said 'do you really have to ask', I meant 'I think it's obvious that we're gonna take the short way'." Zerin trudged sluggishly behind Reni, who casually trotted ahead.

"I thought it'd be nice to just take a nice long walk through the fields." Reni said innocently.

"This is going to take days. We're just going to have to walk all the way up there and then walk out way all the way back down to Ordon." Zerin complained.

"We're almost there. It's only been a couple hours and we're already about to head into the western field." Reni sighed.

"How did we end up here?" Zerin said with an exasperated breath.

"I suppose your whining really helps the time pass quickly." Reni guessed. Zerin frowned at her.

They continued walking through the field, only pausing to fight various creatures or to get a drink. As they came into the northern field, Reni could admit that her legs were starting to ache. She led herself and Zerin to a nearby bridge overlooking the Zora River. Reni leaned against the edge and slowly sat down.

"We can take a rest here." Reni said. She sat down and pulled out a familiar bag from her belt. "Hungry?" She asked as she pulled out two red apples she had purchased in the market before she ran into Link.

"Thanks." Zerin said, taking the apple and sitting down next to her. Reni already started eating hers before Zerin grabbed his.

"Well, you were right about taking the short way." Reni said with a mouth full of apple, "Maybe my legs would ache less if we went that way." Zerin chuckled and finally bit into his.

"Well, I bet it helped to break in those new shoes of yours." Zerin replied, taking another bit of his apple. Reni let out a chuckle. They ate the rest of their apples in silence and with little movement until Reni finished her apple and buried the core. Zerin was eating his slowly. He stood up to bury the core and Reni stretched for a second before standing up. Zerin moved next to her, leaning his arms on the railing of stone bridge and staring at the castle in front of them.

"It seems so much closer than it did in Castle Town." Reni said as she slowly leaned next to him. Zerin smiled and looked up and down the towers of the castle.

"You see that window, right there? On the short tower right there on the edge?" Zerin pointed.

"Yeah. Is that your room?" Reni asked. Zerin nodded.

"Well, you certainly do have a nice view."

Reni and Zerin blinked, the voice did not come of either of them. It was familiar, though. Reni and Zerin looked and noticed the young man to their right.

"Ezaiu!" Zerin gave the Yugano a staggered stare.

"Sorry about surprising you." Ezaiu ran hand down the side of his neck, "I just saw you from across the field and thought I'd say hello."

"It's been a while." Zerin nodded.

"Are Jayem and the others with you?" Reni questioned. Zerin rolled his eyes.

"I'm here by myself. Jayem and the others are back at the fishing hole where we're staying. I'm just here collecting some things." Ezaiu nodded. Zerin noticed pack he had that used to be seen on Delia. "Judging from how tired you two look, it seems like you've been travelling for quite some time."

"You could say that." Zerin let out an uneasy chuckle.

"Well, both of you are welcomed to stay with us." Ezaiu offered.

"We'd love to." Reni agreed.

"Great." Ezaiu said with a pleased smile, "It's right down the Zora River; this way."

They walked down the riverside with little talk. Ezaiu looked over his shoulder, noticing the difference in appearance in their little group.

"I see you got a new outfit, Reni." Ezaiu smiled.

"I ran into my father in Castle Town and he gave it me as a late birthday present." Reni said sheepishly.

"It suits you. You can tell us all about what you two have been up to when we get back to the camp." Ezaiu explained, leading them to a small rowboat in the river. He stepped into the boat to steady it as Reni and Zerin got in after him.

"Jayem will be thrilled to see you. He hasn't stopped mentioning you since." Ezaiu chuckled.

"Oh…really?" Reni avoided eye contact with Zerin or Ezaiu and looked over her shoulder.

"Yeah, you don't say…" Zerin let out a bothered sigh. Ezaiu pulled out the oars and began to row the boat down the river. Reni's stomach began to feel uneasy, although she didn't know if it was from the uneven movements of the boat.

The boat floated down into dark tunnel and everything slowly dimmed. Eventually, there was no light at all, until they began to come across previously lit lanterns to guide them. Ezaiu continued to talk as they floated down the river. He told them about how he and the Yugano went to Kakariko Village shortly after Reni and Zerin had left, and they visited Death Mountain. By the time he finished that story, they were reaching their destination.

The boat drifted out of the tunnel and towards the nearest shore. Ezaiu let Reni and Zerin leave the boat before he pulled it back to a small shop ahead. A woman with a large nest of brown hair upon her head stared at them from the door.

"Thank you for the boat, Miss Iza." Ezaiu said to the woman, handing her a handful of rupees; possibly payment for using the boat.

"No problem, kid." The woman nodded in reply. She counted the rupees in her hand before she closed the door on them. Ezaiu looked back at Reni and Zerin. He motioned for them to follow him.

He led them up the hill and towards a wooden door on the side of the mountain. Ezaiu looked back at them as he turned the doorknob.

"The woman who owns this fishing spot is away on a trip. So her sister let us stay here as long as we don't mess up anything or enter the house. You could say that we're just lucky to find someone willing to leave us with a place to stay." Ezaiu explained, looking at Zerin with knowing eyes. Reni looked at Zerin with the same perceptive glance. The young prince let out a sigh.

"Yeah, lucky." Zerin looked away guiltily. Ezaiu let out a laugh as he opened the door fully; allowing Reni and Zerin to enter before him. The fishing hole had a large lake for, well, fishing of course. There were many large trees covered with vibrant green leaves and a nearby log cabin.

Ezaiu shut the door behind them and walked ahead to greet his group, who sat in various places around the area.

"I'm back." The group all turned at Ezaiu's call. "And look at what I found while I was out." Ezaiu called out to them. They all turned their heads simultaneously to the pair that stood behind their leader. Jayem shot up quickly out of enthusiasm at seeing the girl, although he caught himself and walked over at calmer pace as he spoke.

"Well, if it isn't the prince and his bodyguard." Jayem grinned widely. Zerin didn't smile at him despite how much Reni's face lit up at his grin. "How long has it been, like a month?"

"Maybe a little less than that." Reni smiled slightly.

Tamara remained seated, but turned her head to show that she acknowledged their presence. Willis remained with her, but Delia got up and followed her brother. She greeted Ezaiu with a loving smile as she took the pack from his hands. She opened it up and looked through the items Ezaiu collected; healing leaves, food, and other necessities.

"You're both welcome to stay with us for as long as you'd like." Ezaiu said to the pair, "And we'd love to hear the stories you have to tell tonight."

"Of course, we have plenty." Zerin said, bringing back his snobbish attitude.

"I like your outfit. It suits you well." Jayem commented on Reni's new attire. Reni could only reply with a 'thanks' and an awkward twirl of her ginger locks.

Zerin's arms automatically crossed themselves. He wasn't jealous; don't even think for one second that he was jealous. He was a bit bothered at the moment, the presence of the Yugano still made him edgy and Reni was really the only person he wanted to communicate with around here. But he was not jealous.

They spent the rest of the day helping the Yugano out around the fishing spot before dinner. The groups kept to themselves for most of the day. Jayem and Reni had their own conversations while Zerin halfheartedly socialized with Ezaiu and Delia. Tamara and Willis kept to themselves until dinner when they set up the campfire. The Yugano had their usual meal; fish. However, after such a long day, Reni and Zerin were willing to eat anything.

"…And so after that, Impaya offered to train us for the next few weeks!" Reni finished explaining their tale from Kakariko to the Yugano. "But we never really had any real battle experience except with a few of those creatures. Oh, and I had a little sparring match with my father when I…well, ran into him the Castle Town marketplace."

"I bet that was quite the reunion." Jayem said, moving his body a bit closer to her.

"Yeah, you could say that." Reni said, taking a bit from her fish, "He gave me this sword for my birthday. Sorry, the one you gave me kind of got lost in the scuffle." She added sheepishly.

"It's not a problem," Ezaiu explained, "You could almost say that we got those weapons for free."

Reni and Zerin were puzzled by this statement. Knowing Yugano's current state, the weapons and clothing they acquired must have been terribly expensive for them. Zerin remained quiet and he nibbled on his slightly burnt piece of fish.

"So, I presume you can handle your weapons pretty well right now?" Ezaiu asked them, looking at Zerin in particular.

"You could assume that." Zerin shrugged casually, speaking out now.

"Well, we'd have to have a little match one day ourselves." Ezaiu's eyes challenged Zerin.

Zerin blinked, a bit surprised at Ezaiu's proposal. But of course, a little sparring match wouldn't hurt. Zerin let out a quiet laugh in agreement, "That sounds like an idea."

"I'm glad you think so." His voice trailed off.

Conversations continued to set the mood of the campfire. Others began to finish their food and leave until it was just Reni, Zerin, and Ezaiu. It was silent now, except for the crackling of the fire; which Ezaiu casually poked at with a nearby stick.

Reni could feel the awkwardness of the silence and began to rise, "I think I'll go and find J-"

"No, stay." Ezaiu interrupted her. Reni sat back down on command. She assumed that Ezaiu was going to stay something or start a new conversation, but he remained hushed. Zerin uncomfortably switched seating positions besides Reni, but other than that, he stayed unspoken.

"You know, Ezaiu," Reni began. Someone had to say something, after all. "We've told you all about our adventure so far, and we've heard a bit of yours. But what about your life in Yugano? I'd like to hear about that." Reni noticed the expression on Zerin's face; looking as though she had said something she shouldn't have.

"My life in Yugano is nothing special." Ezaiu replied, albeit bit callously. Reni understood she must have hit a delicate spot.

"Oh, I'm sorry for asking." She looked down.

A few moments of stillness passed. Ezaiu laid down on his side before he spoke up once more, "I'm suppose I could give you a little taste of Yugano culture. How would you like to hear a lullaby from my country?"

"A lullaby?" Zerin's eyebrows furrowed as the odd question.

"My mother used to sing it to Willis all the time." Ezaiu said, "It's sung in the old Yugano language back home and it sounds a bit odd sung in Hylian as it is now. And I don't have as nice of a singing voice as Delia, so I'll just chant it out for you instead."

"I'd love to hear it, either way." Reni gave him a soft smile. Ezaiu began to chant, his voice shaking a bit as he recited the lullaby.

"_Little fish, little fish.  
What have you done to our pond?  
Big fish left for the big sea,  
and was caught in man's net,  
and eaten for supper.  
Little fish let the pond drain,  
and all the waters left,  
and he drowned in the dirt.  
Little fish, little fish.  
This place used to be beautiful.  
What had you done to our pond?"_

His pulled the twig out of the flames, blowing the end of it and watching the smoke drift up in the air. Reni let out a sad sigh when he had finished.

"That was quite a sad lullaby." She rested her chin on her palms.

"It sounds better in the old language, I assure you." Ezaiu explained once more.

"That lullaby…" Zerin began cautiously, "…It's about you isn't it? You're the big fish?"

"What?" Reni gaped.

"Wrong. My father is the big fish. Your father and his kingdom are man's net. And I am little fish, the one who destroyed the pond." Ezaiu corrected Zerin, "Do you follow?"

"That's a terrible thing." Zerin looked down. He understood. They still blamed him for the country's crumple and derided him in the form of a children's nursery rhyme. What if Hyrule did that to their own prince? Zerin couldn't fathom the idea.

"Sad, but true." Ezaiu shrugged casually, "I assume you can imagine my home life from that?"

"Sort of," Reni said with an apologetic gaze, "I'm very sorry for your country's current state."

"Don't be. It's not your fault." Ezaiu said, tossing the stick into the fire, "It's mine."

Reni and Zerin couldn't make another comment. Delia rejoined the group and the silence returned. The other Yugano began to return to the campfire slowly. Jayem took out a log of wood to rekindle the fire with.

"Prince Zerin!" Delia's melodic voice rose above the crackle of the flames.

"What?" Zerin blinked, confused by her abrupt call.

"Did you do something to your hand?" She asked him, pointing to the bandages around his right hand. Zerin gazed down at what she was pointing to.

"Oh, um, right!" Zerin chuckled, "I just woke up one day and my whole body was in this tremendous pain, especially my hand! It was the worst there. It was just the craziest thing, but the pain's gone now."

"Well, let Delia have a look at it. She's a fantastic medic." Ezaiu offered with a smile.

"That's really not necessary…the pain's gone..." Zerin began to say, but Delia already grabbed his hand and began tearing off the bandages.

"Now, don't make such a fuss!" Delia said in a motherly way, "Let's just see if it's really…" An audible gasp escaped from her mouth and she suddenly dropped his hand from hers.

Her gasp was followed by questions by the others before they backed away suddenly. Zerin looked down at his hand, and Reni leaned over his shoulder to take a look.

"Is that what I think it is?" She said; her voice was a mixture of surprise and…anger? Zerin couldn't quite hear her over his own thoughts.

Imprinted onto Zerin's right hand was a faint mark similar to the one on Ezaiu's left hand. However, while the bottom-left triangle was highlighted on his hand, the bottom-right one shone brighter than the others on Zerin's.

"That's the Triforce of Courage!" Reni pointed out, "But how did you…" She didn't finish when she noticed Zerin wasn't listening to her.

Zerin was in complete shock. That explains the dream; with Farore and whatever else was going on. Of course, that made no sense to him whatsoever. That triforce belonged to the great hero, Link. And Zerin was no hero nor all that courageous, no matter how much did he imagine that he was.

But the goddesses have a plan for everything, don't they? That must be the reason. Otherwise, how could a Yugano like Ezaiu have gotten the Triforce of Wisdom? He wasn't even Hylian, nor did he believe in the same deities. Sure, somehow in the ancient ancestral chain, Hylians and the Yugano were connected; their languages and appearances were very similar after all. But all of that doesn't really help.

Zerin broke from his train of thought and looked across the campfire at Ezaiu. Although the rising flames and his headache from the current madness blurred out his vision, he could faintly see a devilish smirk curve onto Ezaiu's lips.

.:.

Reni grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. Jayem looked over at her and released a quiet laugh, "What's up with you?"

"Nothing." Reni lied. Clearly, something was. She was frustrated…annoyed…more jealous than ever. The previous night, Zerin revealed that he had the Triforce of Courage- something that formerly belonged to her father. And Ezaiu had the Triforce of Wisdom, the one that formerly belonged to Queen Zelda.

"Obviously, something is." Jayem chuckled, snapping twigs together to work on arrows for his bow. Reni watched him work silently. She tossed her head away from him. Jayem smirked, "Oh, I see what it is."

"What?"

"You're jealous." Apparently, Jayem could read her like a book now.

"No, I'm not!" Reni was quick to react.

"You're jealous that Zerin and Ezaiu have the pieces of Triforce and you don't." Jayem cocked an eyebrow, forcing a smile out of Reni when he discovered her secret.

"Maybe…just a little." Reni let out a sigh.

"I knew it." Jayem smirked, "You're the great hero's daughter, so you'd be expecting to get one. All that's left is the Triforce of Power. I don't think that would really suit you."

"It just…y'know, doesn't really make any sense. Zerin doesn't have the least bit of courage at all and he just suddenly ends up that certain mark? Is he supposed to be some sort of great hero or something?"

"It doesn't make much sense, but I'm sure everything will in the end." Jayem sent a caring smile to Reni. She smiled back and walked over to sit next to him. "And, if it helps, you don't need a Triforce. You're already great enough without one."

"Thanks." Reni smiled, not really understanding how his compliment worked.

And just as there was at the campfire, there was a few long seconds of silence. Jayem turned a head a few moments to look at Reni, ready to say something, but failed to spill the words out of his mouth. Reni noticed his constant glancing and managed to lock her eyes with his.

"You know, Reni…" Jayem forced himself to speak clearly, "It's really been great, y'know, just seeing you. And I know that we've only spent maybe, like, four days with each other. But I honestly couldn't stop thinking- or, actually, talking about you since."

Reni felt the blood rush to her cheeks and ran her hand down the back of her neck, "Oh, yeah…I've heard." She replied nervously.

"I was…hoping you might have felt the same way." Jayem said, a grin forming on his lips as he leaned towards her. Reni noticed for the first time that Jayem had dimples when he smiled. Strange how she didn't notice before, on account of how much he smiled at her.

She became flustered immediately by his sudden movements and ran her hand through her hair. She didn't need to say anything. She knew Jayem read the smile she wore and he knew it confirmed the answer. She looked back at him; his face was now even closer than before. But it wasn't uncomfortably close at all. She looked at his eyes; gray with the sunlight bursting about in the iris. His eyes crinkled from smiling but began to relax as his lids lowered over them.

Reni found her eyes beginning to slowly close as she leaned into him, following his movements.

.:.

Zerin had noticed it. He didn't know if Reni noticed it, but he definitely noticed it.

He pondered the thought as he sat in the grass by the water. The Yugano weren't the same.

He went to help Willis carry some supplies, but Willis turned his shoulder away from him and walked away. Although, Willis was shy and he barely had any interaction with him, so perhaps that was normal. But Delia, always so kind and gentle, gave him the cold shoulder and ignored him when he requested some more healing herbs from her. Tamara, who showed the slightest hints of warming up to the group, was now scowling at the prince as she used to. Jayem went off to various places, taking Reni with him, but Zerin was sure he would act the same.

Did he say something wrong? Zerin didn't think so. He learned to watch his words around the Yugano now. He looked at his hand, examining his new mark. That was about the only thing that had changed, other than his newfound fighting abilities of course. Their change in attitude was sudden, but at least Ezaiu was still talking to him.

"Ezaiu…" Zerin walked over to where the Yugano was sitting.

"What is it?" He replied.

"The others are acting…a little different." Zerin began slowly.

"How so?" Ezaiu turned to look at Zerin. The prince noticed the look in his eyes. The friendliness was gone and was replaced with scorn, but his smile was delighted. The contradiction staggered Zerin's reply.

"W-Well…" Zerin started, "They're just…"

"Don't worry about it." Ezaiu's face read no emotion. Usually when he calmed Zerin of his worries, Ezaiu wore a welcoming smile, "They're just uncomfortable around you now because of your triforce."

"Why would that make them uncomfortable?" Zerin blinked, not understanding what he said.

"Calm yourself," Ezaiu sighed, "It is fine. Your possession of the triforce is a very good thing, and they are well aware of that. "

Zerin noticed it once more. Ezaiu wasn't the same as well. Even though Zerin stood and Ezaiu sat, Ezaiu talked down to Zerin as though he was someone below him. Like the way a prince would talk to a servant. Ezaiu did not present a welcoming feeling but looked at him with an impish smile now.

"Oh," was all Zerin could say as he studied Ezaiu's facial expression. His explanation wasn't even a good one.

"Your possession of the triforce will do your kingdom great good, and if all goes as plan, mine as well. Correct?" The impish smile returned to Ezaiu's face.

"I-I suppose." Zerin shrugged.

"Now, don't be turning back on your word now. I thought you were going to help rebuild Yugano." Ezaiu looked at him with a slight glare.

"No, that's not what I meant! Of course, I will help you!"

"Good." Ezaiu ended the conversation and turned the other way.

Zerin walked away. He leaned against the mountain wall around the fishing hole and sat against it. He still didn't understand and something wasn't right. He held his suspicions about Ezaiu, mostly stemmed from his father's death at the hands of King Centir. The suspicions left when he got to know Ezaiu, but Zerin could feel those worries return in the pit of his stomach. The look in the Yugano's eye was different and in his presence, Zerin only felt fear.

Zerin looked at his hand. Despite being in the possession of the Triforce of Courage, it hasn't done much to help him. Maybe its magical powers haven't exactly kicked in yet…or something like that. There was something odd about the mark. When his mother and Link had their pieces of triforce, the marks were bright; truly showing the great power the goddesses granted them.

But his was different. It was darker. The golden shine wasn't there. Strangely, the case was the same with Ezaiu's. Holding the triforce meant untold mystical abilities, protection from evil magic and the ability to master any weapon. They say that you could feel the goddesses' power in your veins if you were chosen. Yet, Zerin didn't feel any different nor did he notice any sort of change in his fighting skill. If Delia hadn't taken off the tape, he probably would've never noticed. Zerin put his hand down and rested back. He looked back at Ezaiu, whose back was turned to him. He furrowed his eyebrows. Something wasn't right.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Iza: **Still the same. Still runs her boat shack. Nothing new.

**Hena:** Still the same. Still runs her fishing hole. But now she's on vacation.


	16. The Festival, Pt 1

**KAPPALOCK:** I got Sims Medieval and made Hyrule. I made Link and Ganondorf as priests of two rival churches, they hate each other and it's great. Oh, usually the story perspective switches between Reni, Zerin and sometimes other people like Link. For the beginning part of this chapter, I'll be introducing with Ezaiu's perspective. Please enjoy!

**Last Update: **2/20/12

.:.

Love.

The word forced itself into Ezaiu's thoughts as he listened to Jayem rant about his sparking relationship with Reni. Although Jayem never used the word 'love' unless he was describing a sort of characteristic he admired about Reni, the word has somehow found itself in Ezaiu's mind.

Ezaiu didn't care much for love. He didn't expect it from the people of Yugano nor did he expect it from anyone else. He assumed that love was the odd feeling filled his stomach when he looked into the eyes of his betrothed, Delia. Ezaiu still felt uneasy about marrying his best friend's sister. It was awkward enough for him the first time they kissed four years ago; that was the last time they kissed. Actually, that was the last time they'd done anything remotely romantic besides the innocent holding of hands- not that he was complaining. Ezaiu admitted only to himself that he became comfortable and nervous with intimate physical contact, even towards his future wife.

"She's not like any of the girls back in Yugano! You how they all are. They're all so stiff and uptight. But she's so different! It was amazing, Ezaiu! You should have been there… well, not really. That would've been weird." Jayem ran a hand down the back of his neck.

"Honestly, Jayem! You're acting like a love-sick fool." Ezaiu strained to make a smile. His mental debate about love made his stomach drop and now he felt a little queasy. From the way Jayem spoke about Reni, it sounded as though he was in love. But Ezaiu has been friends with him long enough to know just how easy it was for him to fall in love. Of course, the only problem was if the person had fallen as well- which was never the case. Ezaiu hated when Jayem acted like this. He was blunt and sometimes indecent, but he managed to become attached to any girl fast.

"Aw jeez, Ezaiu. Don't tell me that she's going to get the last triforce piece." he smirked. Ezaiu responded with a quiet and short laugh. Jayem snickered and looked back at his friend. Ezaiu looked down at his left hand, where his own piece was. He wasn't left-handed, but that's just how it ended up. He looked back at his companion and thought about what he said.

"Only one more piece," Ezaiu repeated, "And then I'll be king once again."

"You're so set on getting your throne back." Jayem sighed.

"Almost as much as how you're set on this Hylian girl," Ezaiu wittily replied, "Besides, if I can't get the love of the people of Yugano, I can at least get their respect when I save their country. And this is the best way possible." He reached over for the pack. He dragged it in front of him and began rummaging through it.

"You mean by force?" Jayem asked. Ezaiu didn't reply to this, so he continued to speak; "You think it's gonna work out in the end? I mean, I can't really say that we know what we're dealing with here."

Ezaiu gave him a comforting smile, "If everything goes according to plan, we will have our country back and more." He pulled out a dark velvet cloth wrapped around a small sphere-shaped object.

"But that doesn't mean we know what we're dealing with." Jayem looked at him with solemn eyes.

"It'll be fine." Ezaiu reassured him, removing layers of the velvet cloth from the sphere. In his hand, he held a small glass sphere. Smoke circulated on the inside, curling into the shapes of golden clouds. He gazed into its glass pleasingly. Jayem had seen the object many times before, but the golden smoke never ceased to amaze him. Ezaiu placed his left hand on the orb and the Triforce of Wisdom softly glowed when he hand came into contact its the surface, but it's light was still dimmed.

Ezaiu winced as a burning pain emerged in his hand. His reflexes retracted his hand from the orb and the pain remained for a long moment before it slowly faded away.

"It's getting worse." Jayem observed.

"I'm losing my grip. It's fine though, I can hold on for a bit longer. We just need to make sure the last piece goes to the right person. And that'll complete the first part of the process." Ezaiu closed his wrapped the velvet cloth over the orb once more and placing it securely back into the pouch.

"All for the love of the people," Jayem sighed, a hint of worry in his tone.

Ezaiu averted his eyes from him, "We should set out soon to give it some time. I suggest you say your goodbyes now. I'll go and inform the others of our early departure."

"Got it." He said with a charming nod. He flicked his wrist in his direction, pointing his index finger and thumb at him. Ezaiu retorted with a familiar impish smile before strolling away.

Ezaiu admitted it; he wasn't entirely a loving person. He was troubled with expressing his towards Delia and he didn't wait for love from others, especially not from the people of Yugano who ridiculed and scorned him. However once this was all over, Ezaiu was sure the Yugano would see that he was the hero they needed. Maybe then he would get their respect and, perhaps, if he was lucky, he would receive their fear.

.:.

"I sincerely apologize for the abrupt change in plans." Ezaiu said to Reni and Zerin as they picked up their things.

"It's fine. We understand you have things to do. We have to start heading down to Ordon anyway for the festival. You're welcome to come with us." Reni said, flashing hopeful eyes in Jayem's direction.

"We'd love to, but we just can't." Ezaiu said.

"It's alright. At least we got to spend a few days with you guys."

"Yeah, it was fun." Jayem smirked, "We'll definitely have to run into each other again." Reni felt her cheeks heat up at his comment.

"Yes, indeed." Zerin said, although he was reluctant to meet up with the Yugano again. He still had his doubts, and they only increased with each passing day. He looked over at Reni and wondered if he should inform her of his suspicious. Yet her gaze was only set on the Yugano man who stared back her with affectionate eyes. Zerin couldn't help but roll his.

He looked back Tamara, Willis, and Delia who stood behind Ezaiu and Jayem. The Yugano still acted strange around him and Zerin felt it unfortunate that neither he nor Reni had the chance to really get to know or hold a conversation with the rest of them. Delia chatted with them a few times, but Tamara and Willis always stayed mysteriously in the background.

"Well, it was a pleasure catching up with you. I'm sure our paths will cross again," Ezaiu smirked, looking particularly at Zerin, "And don't forget about our little match, Prince Zerin."

"I won't." Zerin nodded curtly.

"Good. Say your goodbyes, we're leaving now." Ezaiu looked at the rest of the group. As usual, Tamara and Willis walked away without saying anything. Delia gave them a small smile and a brief curtsy before following them. Jayem didn't bother to acknowledge Zerin's presence as he continued to direct his attention towards Reni. The prince turned his back on the pair as they moved close together to bid their farewells and he exited out the fishing hole door.

.:.

Reni and Zerin trudged their way through Hyrule Field. Zerin groaned at the thought of walking all the way down back to Ordon Village. The walk from one field to the next was torturous enough. On the opposite hand, Reni didn't mind the walk as long as they got to the village before the festival started. She was practically skipping as she trotted through the field. She was completely giddy about it all.

"Someone's jumpy today." Zerin said when he noticed her odd enthusiasm.

"Zerin, you're going to love the Ordon Festival! It's just unbelievable!" Reni said, "There's all this food and music and all these people! And there's dancing around the campfire and the fireflies come out just in time!"

"Yeah, thrilling. I've always wanted to join in a village folk celebration." Zerin said with the upmost sarcasm.

"It's not some village folk celebration, Zerin." Reni frowned at him, "Believe me, once you've gone through it, you'll be changed forever!" Her mouth quickly reversed back into a grin as she waved her hands in a circular motion.

"Oh, I can't wait." Zerin chuckled.

"You'll see."

They continued hiking their way about the field. Zerin paced himself as Reni walked briskly some feet ahead of him. Their solitude in the field was interrupted by a shabby wagon. The wagon, led by one dark brown mare, rolled up beside them.

A woman that Zerin immediately recognized sat at the front as the driver. The large busty woman gave the pair a hospitable smile, "Are you two heading to the Ordon Festival?" It was Telma from the bar in Castle Town he visited.

"Y-Yes we are…" Zerin stuttered.

"Well, it's quite a walk from here. How about I give you a lift there?" She offered.

"That'd be nice! Thank you!" Reni smiled. Telma pointed them to the back of the wagon, which was covered by large white canvas.

"It's great seeing you again, Telma!" Zerin grinned at her.

Telma gave him a baffled look and furrowed her eyebrows, "Have we met before?"

Zerin blinked. His eyes widened when he remembered that he only met her in the disguise form of Zerham in Castle Town. He was dumbstruck at what he should say next, but Telma beat him to it.

"Well, maybe we haven't before but I've heard of you, Prince Zerin."

"Right, I've just heard of your bar. Lovely place, I'm sure. I don't know. I've never been there. Nope, not once!" Zerin spoke fast as he rushed behind Reni into the back of the wagon and leaving Telma at the front even more perplexed than before.

"Colin!" Reni's voice greeted the familiar man as her arms simultaneously greeted him with a hug.

"Reni! It's fantastic to see you!" Colin smiled. He noticed Zerin enter the wagon, "And the prince, as well! I'm happy to see you two safe! I see you met with your father!" He pointed to her new sword and attire.

"Yeah I did. I'm excited to go back for the festival." Reni grinned. Zerin looked around at the group. It was the Resistance from the bar; Shad, Ashei, Colin and Auru. Auru narrowed his eyes at the Young Prince.

"Well, if it isn't the Prince of Hyrule. So you have gotten out of your castle." Auru said. Zerin remembered what he said in the bar about him; this was his chance to redeem his reputation with them. He coughed politely into his fist before speaking.

"Yes, I have. After all, how can a King of Hyrule rule without seeing what's outside the castle walls?" Zerin replied cleverly.

"Indeed." Auru nodded respectfully, "Have you learned much?"

"Of course I have. The country has been prospering well since the war. I even met with some Yugano travelers along the way and discussed what I would do to help rebuild their country." Zerin spoke with pride, even though he wasn't entirely certain of his last statement anymore. Nevertheless, Auru looked pleased and the prince wondered if they remembered his disguise-form.

Reni gazed at Zerin from the corner of her eyes, a smile forming on his lips from the way he talked about Hyrule with such delight.

"Is this your first time attending the Ordon Festival?" Shad asked.

"Yes, it is."

"Ours as well. It's so thrilling, right Ashei?" Shad nudged his female companion beside him.

"Yeah, thrilling." She said with a tone of boredom. Zerin recalled that he had the same reaction to Reni earlier in the field. He gazed back at the girl as she and Colin explained the festival to the group, and then the festival didn't seem all that trite anymore.

.:.

"Welcome home, Reni!" When Reni got off the wagon and into the village, Ilia was the first to greet her; opening her arms for an embrace. However, she paused and retreated back for a second before Reni returned the hug. She remembered what her father told her, she deserved more respect. Ilia smiled down upon Reni and stepped back, "I see you father gave you your birthday present."

"Yes! I like it very much!" Reni smiled, holding up her mother's fabric with her fingertips.

"And it's great to see you as well, Prince Zerin! I'm so glad you're going to be joining in the festivities!" Zerin held out his hand, expected her to shake it. But instead, Ilia pulled Zerin into a big hug.

"I-I'm more than happy to!" Zerin stammered as Ilia released the hold, "From what I've heard it sounds great!"

"Come, I made festival outfits for both of you!" Ilia said, directing them towards her home.

"You're supposed to wear certain clothes to the festival?" He asked, "What's this all even about?"

"Well, yes. We're a bit ceremonial in attire as well." Ilia explained as she walked, "You see, the Ordon Festival celebrates the coming of fall and the harvest. It lasts for three days and all sorts of people come down for it. For the first day, there are games and tournaments, usually swordfights and archery contests. And at the end of the day, there is a great feast to say goodbye to summer. On the second day, it's more of a relaxation day and there are travelers that all come around share their stories. Acting troupes and maybe some street performers usually stop by to perform a show."

"Last year, this man came by who spun fire." Reni added.

"Yes, it was magnificent! And finally, the third day celebrates the coming of fall. I hope you brought some rupees because it's just filled with crafts and the people who come by sell the most wonderful little things! And then at night, there's a large campfire and music and everyone dances! It's wonderful!" Ilia said, opening the door for them to enter her home.

"It definitely sounds packed!" Zerin commented.

Ilielmar and Link were inside.

"Father! Ilielmar!" Reni was happy to see her friend and father once again. She greeted them both with a hug.

"It's great to see you again, Reni! I can't wait to hear all about your travels!" Ilielmar was happy to see Reni again. The feeling was mutual.

"I hope you've been using that sword of yours, Reni!" Link joked with his daughter. Reni beamed proudly.

"And I see you brought the prince with you!" Ilielmar smiled, "Something told me you weren't going to come!"

"Well, I had to stop by." Zerin shrugged, shaking Ilielmar's hand. Link raised an eyebrow as he eyed Zerin's right hand. The young prince turned to him to shake hands, but Link hesitated.

"Is that…" Link took his hand slowly, "Is that what I think it is?" Reni raised an eyebrow at how her father's reaction was exactly the same as hers.

Zerin took his hand back quickly. He felt guilt at first, facing the old keeper of the triforce and feeling as though he unrightfully took it. Zerin was no hero, but he didn't know what the goddess had planned, "I-It just showed up one day. A-And Ezaiu has the Triforce of Wisdom, and…"

"Who's Ezaiu?" Link was confused by the whole ordeal. Link got a brief glimpse of its strange, darker color.

"We can talk about this later, father!" Reni quickly interrupted, coming in between Zerin and Link, "It's such a complicated matter! And y'know, great plan of the goddess and whatnot, we'll never understand! How about those outfits, Ilia?" Reni said in a speedy tone, trying to change the subject as fast she could to reverse the awkward situation.

"I'll go upstairs and get them." Ilia smiled. Link stared at the floor, confused by the whole matter. Ilia later returned a few seconds later with the outfits across her arm.

Reni was handed an earthy green dress, completed with various Ordon-styled accessories. She smiled at it with joy as she admired the red and brown shawl that came with it. Ilia handed Zerin his garments, which seemed plain and simple at first. Zerin frowned and examined it closer. He noticed it was not as plain as he thought. Adorned onto a part of the outfit was the Royal Crest. An image of an Ordon Goat head was on the back of the white sleeveless shirt and the wrap was a royal violet color. Zerin sighed and rolled his eyes upwards; these people sure do love their goats. They were everywhere. He looked back at Ilia, standing before him with a large grin on her face.

"It's perfect, Miss Ilia. Thank you." Zerin replied appreciatively.

"Now, I remembered you fit into Ilielmar's clothes last time you were here so I took your measurements from that." Ilia explained, "But it appears you have grown a few inches since then."

"Yeah, now I don't have to look down to look you in the eye." Reni joked with him.

"I bet it'll still fit." Zerin smiled.

"The festival doesn't start until tomorrow, so you guys can just lounge around until we need your help to finish setting up." Link offered as he began to leave the house.

"That sounds good," Reni said, "I'll probably go visit the house so I can try on the dress. You can come with to try on your outfit, Zerin, or you could just do whatever you want."

"No, I'll come with you." Zerin replied, following her out the door.

Ilia raised an eyebrow as the pair left the home together and she looked at her son, who gave her the same look back.

.:.

The group that dropped them off stayed at Colin's home. A few other wagons started rolling into the small village. People were setting up tents in a field by the ranch so they could stay for all three days of the festival. There were traders, troupes and travelers of all sorts. Zerin was amazed by all the people that came. It wasn't until he met Reni that he heard of the festival. As he pondered the topic, he followed Reni back to her tree house home.

Zerin didn't recall ever being inside Reni's house. It looked small and plain on the outside. He climbed up the ladder after her and entered the house cautiously. The inside looked cozy and welcoming. Zerin spied all sorts of baubles and trinkets sitting on shelves from various adventures of the great hero.

"Make yourself at home; I'm just going to my room." Reni excused herself as she climbed down a set of stairs leading to a hole in the floor.

Zerin took this as a liberty to snoop around and basically touch and behold everything in sight. He walked along the lines of shelves and chests, peering at the different items on each of them. There was a horse-shoe shaped whistle, dusty compasses, maps for places he's only heard of, and wooden statues with strange images carved into them. Various bottles lines the shelves filled with various liquids Zerin wasn't too interested in.

Zerin blinked, a blurry image could be seen from behind the clear glass. He reached behind and pulled out a small pictograph. It was of a man and young girl, who looked no more than five. Her bright hair was unkempt and long and she was grinning wide at the man, albeit one of her teeth was missing. The man was blond with strong arms, smiling proudly in the picture. He held the grip of a majestic sword with the other end stuck in the dirt. He was on his knees, so he was level with the child. She held a large steel shield in front of her that pretty much covered her entire body.

Zerin chuckled quietly to himself, realizing that it was Reni and Link in the picture, posing with his battle equipment. He didn't return the pictograph to where he found it and held onto it as he continued to shuffle through the souvenirs of her father's assorted quests. He once again stopped when came across a leather-bound book that looked as though it hadn't been opened in years.

Zerin picked it up carefully and blew the dust off of it. He unbuckled the side strap and opened it up slowly. He scrutinized the pages, trying to make what he could of the odd writing inside. It was filled with characters he couldn't understand.

"Wow, look at this language. This must be old and valuable." Zerin stared at the book with discontent. He closed with a loud snap and tossed it behind him carelessly.

"Excuse you; don't you know how to treat stuff like this?" Reni's voice chastised him as she caught the book in her hands. She continued to tell him off as the prince lazily turned around to face her, "This is an ancient book written in the sky language! Do you know how important this book…? What are you staring at?" She trailed off and Zerin realized that had been staring intently at her now as she spoke.

She was clad in her dress for the festival. The dress flowed down her body, and a shawl was adorned around her arms softly. The shawl was red, brown, and gray and had various Ordon images printed across it. It had a large image of a goat's head in the dead center, no surprise there. A light tan drape accented the outfit as it came from the braided belt around her waist and swathed around the back of her dress in an Ordon fashion. Zerin did, in fact, take notice to how well the dress looked on her. The belt was tied around her waist and it made her hips look curvier and made the dress fit well to her torso. Zerin shook his head to refocus and looked back at Reni's face.

She was glaring at him. Zerin knew how to retaliate her glare. He cocked his eyebrow and held up the picture in his hand, "Look at how cute you are in this pictograph! What happened?"

Reni's cheeks flushed as she snapped the picture from his hand and looked at it more closely. Zerin laughed in amusement while Reni returned the items to their old places, "Yeah, yeah, you're hilarious." She was quietly laughing herself as she recalled the memory of the picture. She picked up Zerin's festival outfit from where he set it and tossed it at him. "Go try on your outfit to make sure it fits. You can just change here; I'll be in my room."

"Okay." Zerin sighed and he ran through the various amounts of fabrics in his outfit. Reni left the room in a matter of seconds and he began to change into the odd fashioned clothing. When he had finished, he called Reni back upstairs to see.

She changed back out of her festival outfit and the folded dress on a nearby chair. She looked at him with a smirk, "For village folk garb, it looks good on you." Zerin gave an embarrassed laugh as he turned around to show her the full look.

A braided belt similar to hers was tied around the wrap around his abdomen. The violet fabric was lined with gold and had tiny, minuscule designs on it. His white shirt had brown stitching on the sleeves to match the brown Ordon Goat stitched onto the back. A maroon drape came from underneath the wrap. Zerin was happy that Ilia remembered to incorporate that color; it was one of his favorites. A sash in a dark brown, sort of burnt sienna color, hung in the front from underneath the wrap. The royal crest on it and the sides of the sash were lined in gold. His light tan pants cut off at his knees.

"Well, I do know how to pull it off." Zerin said smugly in a joking manner. He looked up from his outfit back to Reni and smiled at her.

She contentedly sighed before turning around to return to her room, happy to see that the prince wasn't cringing in his festival outfit. A month ago, he probably wouldn't have even bothered to come to the village again with her. The Ordon Festival was different for her every year. She wondered just how different this one was going to be.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

I've got two facts for you; Ezaiu is actually uncomfortable with romantic physical contact and he has the inability to grow facial hair.

More facts? Zerin's favorite colors are red and violet, no surprise there. Reni's favorite color is pink. But it doesn't look as nice on her as blue or earthy tones. I'm done.


	17. The Festival, Pt 2

**KAPPALOCK:** The last chapter's title was a dirty liar. Now it's time for the actual festival.

**Last Update: **2/20/12

.:.

The Ordon Festival was all set to begin. Lamps were set up all around the village for the nighttime activities. Paper ribbons covered in various images were strung up from the homes. Tables and wine barrels were set up outside of Talo's home for various drinking games planned for that night after the feast- obviously those were locked until then since the children were out. They moved some of the chicken pens to the ranch so they could make room for the other various activities. There was a platform set up right where the pumpkin patch used to be in the middle of the village. The first day of the festival was filled with games and tournaments, then a feast, so they had to have enough space for that in a rather small village. And then after all of the fun of the first day, they would take it all down and set it all up again for the following day's events. Despite the anticipation of the nightly clean up, the villagers were in raptures for the festival. People arrived in the village as early as daybreak so they wouldn't disrupt the festival when they rolled in, otherwise they'd set up tents in Faron.

Reni and Zerin awoke earlier today. Reni added various accessories to her outfit; a set of wooden bangles on each wrist, a braided headband that matched her belt, and a necklace that her father usually wore to show his status of mayor. She discarded her sandals and preferred to go barefoot for the festival. She was impressed to see that Zerin voluntarily removed all of his royal jewels, especially the crown. Ilia placed golden beads on the two front strands of his hair for a bit more decoration. Reni couldn't exactly say that he looked like any other villager, but he didn't give off the arrogant, pampered prince mood he usually did. But knowing him, he'd somehow find a way for people to still identity him as the prince- even without the jewels.

"Well, excited for the festival?" Reni took a few steps toward him when he exited out of Ilia's home in the morning.

"Believe it or not, but I'm pretty anxious." Zerin chuckled nervously. Reni smiled and looked at the latest group of caravans that entered the village. The villagers from Kakariko arrived, later than expected. Zerin glanced over and waved to Mr. Kess, who sat the front. The man grumbled in reply to seeing the pair again and tossed his head.

Malo exited the wagons to greet Talo and it was quite a sight to see the two brother reunited, before their usual bickering began. Old Grierman was there as well, along with Marianne and her son. A large, bulky man exited one of the wagons. A young boy followed him, looking very eager. The large man was greeted by Talo first and the pair looked as though they were good friends. Luda and Renado exited the wagons last so Mr. Kess could roll the wagons out into fields.

"It's good to see you two again, you're looking well." Luda chatted with Reni and Zerin.

"Likewise." Zerin replied politely.

Luda looked back at the wagons, "I hope you don't mind, but we brought just a few extra guests." Reni was confused by this statement, since it was always alright for extra guests to arrive. They looked at where Luda's eyes were fixed upon and saw several multi-colored cats exit the wagons.

At least fourteen or so cats exited the wagon before they stopped. Reni and Zerin knew exactly what this meant. Where there were cats, there was usually that one chick…

"Prince Zerin!" The loud high-pitched voice of a young girl rang in Zerin's ears as he was knocked back unexpectedly with a tackling hug from a young Sheikah girl.

"I-Impaya! It's wonderful to see you…" Zerin said in an awkward tone, failing to return her embrace. She jumped off of him and looked at him with large, red eyes.

"I've been so worried about you!" Impaya cried out and her talking speed quickened without warning, "I was worried that my training wasn't enough and that you possibly encountered terrible fates without me to protect you! I wasn't going to see you until you become king! And then Miss Luda told me about the Ordon Festival and said that you might be there, so of course I had to come so I could see you earlier! And here you are; you're alive!" She paused and looked at Reni beside him, "Oh, and you're here too!"

"Ah, so are you!" Reni replied with the utmost annoyed tone that Impaya couldn't pick up. Zerin laughed quietly and patted Impaya's shoulder.

"It's great seeing you again…but I'm hoping that this isn't going to become a usual greeting for us, right Impaya?" He asked her with hopeful eyes. Impaya blinked and then nodded.

"Anything for you, my prince!" Impaya said eagerly.

"Great, now go play with the goats." Zerin patted her shoulder once more before sending her off.

"Goats!" She disappeared within a second, all fourteen of her cats following her obediently. Wait, was it fourteen? The prince lost count, shrugged and began walking away.

"Anything for you, my prince!" Reni dramatically clasped her hands together and raised her voice to sound like Impaya as she mocked her, "You know, something tells me she _really_ likes you." He laughed in agreement.

"That's cute. Why wouldn't she?" He looked back at her, cocking an eyebrow. Reni smirked. Their fun was interrupted by the ringing of a bell. Reni's ears perked up in excitement as she rushed forward and took Zerin's hand in hers.

"The festival's starting! Come on Zerin, this way!" Reni tugged him along as they came to the center of the village where the platform was.

Link stood on top of the platform dressed in his festival garb with a large bronze bell at his side. The bell wasn't too large, though. Its height was just a bit above his hips. Zerin wasn't surprised at all to find the image of an Ordon goat imprinted into the waist of the bronze bell. Like he said before, these people love their goats. Link's eyes scanned over the crowd as they gathered before he spoke.

"I welcome everyone to the annual Ordon Festival!" Link shouted above the crowd. They silenced when he spoke; he was the mayor after all. "We welcome the coming of the harvest and say goodbye to a long, eventful summertime. We start off the festival with the ceremonial ringing of the bell, forged by the hands of the residents of Ordon Village for the first festival decades- even centuries- ago. With the ringing of the bell, we begin the first day of the festival; the farewell to summer."

Link picked up the rope hanging from the wooden post the bell was suspended from. Link pulled the rope and the jovial chimes of the bell rang throughout the village. The crowd cheered wildly and clapped. The festival had now officially begun.

"So what happens now?" Zerin asked Reni as everyone scattered about after the opening ceremony.

"The tournaments begin." Reni smirked, "There's all sorts of things; archery, sword fighting, fishing, wrestling, goat wrestling-"

"You guys even wrestle your goats. Not only do you glorify them on every article of clothing and piece of furniture you have, but you also wrestle them for sport?" He raised an eyebrow. Reni shrugged her shoulders. "Weird." He simply commented after her careless shrug.

"Are you kidding me? That sounds terrific!" Impaya suddenly jumped in between the pair, "Sign me up for the next fighting tournament! I'll blow the competition away!"

"Well, I believe those are usually held right over there. Good luck signing up, though." Reni pointed Impaya in the direction. But that girl was gone in a split second to sign up. Zerin looked over at the scene. He could tell the director of the tournament was telling her she was too young. And then he could tell Impaya was using her, well, unrealistic charm with her dagger to prove that she was fit to join. In the end, and with lack of parental consult, she was accepted into the tournament.

"I'm not one to usually join the tournaments. But they're always fun to watch." Reni smiled as she continued to walk with Zerin, "You'll see. And it'll get better at nightfall when the feast starts. They actually have a cooking competition here so they can serve the food made in the competition at the feast."

"How nice." Zerin sighed. Reni could see he wasn't amused by the current activities. She grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the tables by Talo's house.

"We can watch the archery tournament here. My father usually competes." She said as she sat down at a small round table. Zerin sat down in the chair opposite to her.

"I bet he does."

.:.

Before he knew it, Zerin was caught up in the excitement of watching the tournaments. Impaya competed her way through a hand-to-hand combat tournament and Reni was forced to advise the young prince to not get caught up in gambling and start placing bets on the talented Sheikah warrior.

And time even went by faster after that. Once again, before he knew it, it was turning to nightfall and the food was being set out in large rows of tables for people to collect from. The tournament settings were replaced with even more tables for everyone to be seated at. The area was lit brightly by lanterns all around and the chatter about was even louder than before. Zerin couldn't assume an exact number, but he guess there was anywhere between thirty to two hundred people there. Maybe he was exaggerating a bit, though.

Reni rushed Zerin through the food lines. Zerin saw food that looked familiar from what the royal chefs made him from dinner and there was food that Zerin had never seen before. There was food he wanted to try and food he didn't; however, Reni threw that stuff onto his plate anyway.

Zerin eyed his place curiously when he sat down across from Reni at a table similar to the one they sat at before. He now wondered where in Hyrule all this stuff came from. Did the village have some sort of festival storage building or something?

After breaking out of this thought sequence, he looked back at Reni. By this time, Reni was practically inhaling all of the edible items on her plate.

"Don't you have any table manners?" Zerin groaned, reluctantly sticking a fork into some sort of meaty substance.

"Farore, Zerin! This stuff is delicious!" Reni said with a full mouth. Zerin stared at her with an intent look of exasperation. Reni rolled her eyes and swallowed what was in her mouth, "If you just tried it…"

"I'd rather not. I think I saw something move." He looked down at his plate with look of disgust, "Just what did you put on my plate?"

"Just try it." Reni pushed his plate towards him. She watched attentively as Zerin slowly picked up a brown piece of unidentifiable food from his dish. She was watching so closely that she didn't see the small figure come up next to her to watch with her.

When Zerin finally ate the food and swallowed he looked at Reni and shrugged, "Okay, it's not that bad."

"I told you so!" She smiled proudly.

"Yeah she did!" A young boyish voice came up from next to Reni. They both turned their heads simultaneously to the child standing next to Reni, staring at her with a wide grin. Reni and Zerin looked back at each other, wondering who this random kid was.

"Umm...hello…" Reni looked at the boy. She remembered seeing him get off the caravan with the others from Kakariko Village. His messy, short brown hair had a bright red headband placed in it. He didn't wear a shirt and wore simple, dark green trousers and a pair of matching little shoes on his small feet. She looked into his large, hazel eyes and raised an eyebrow, "I haven't seen you around. Do I know you?"

The boy's grin turned into a smirk as he lowered his head and ran a hand through his hair, "The name's Reto. I was just sitting over there at that table, eating all by my lonesome when I thought, 'Man. I could sure use a beautiful lady to eat this feast with.' And then I saw you."

Zerin raised an eyebrow. Reni blinked in confusion as the boy looked up at her with an odd stare. "How…kind." Reni stammered, "Um…how old are you, again? Where are you parents?"

"Baby, I'm seven and three quarters. I'm a man, I don't need any parents." Reto stood up tall to prove his point.

"Did you just call me baby?" Reni's eyes widened slightly. Zerin burst into laughter at the other end of the table.

Reto glared at him and looked back at Reni, "Who's this? Don't tell me you're already taken…"

Zerin's laughter immediately ceased as he hastily replied back, "We're not together." and Reni concurrently said the same thing.

Reto's eyes flashed between the two of them, a bit confused. His expression then turned into the most seductive stare a seven year old could ever give as he leaned into Reni, "How'd you like to get out of here?"

Zerin really couldn't believe what he was hearing come out this kid's mouth. He didn't even know kids Reto's age were capable of thinking such thoughts. Reni's reaction was a mixture of amusement and discomfort at this boy's various pick-up lines and flirtatious movements. Reni looked down at him with a mischievous smirk, "I'm flattered, but I'm already sort of enjoying dinner right here already." Zerin smiled quietly to himself.

"That's cool." Reto said, places his elbow on the table. He rested his chin on his palm as he stared up at Reni.

"I guess you didn't really understand what I meant. You can leave…um, Reto." Reni explained slowly.

"You can eat my turkey leg anytime." Reto said, ignoring what she had just said, "Baby." He curtly finished off with a quick wink. Reni couldn't help but let out a small, girlish laugh. "Come back to my table? I'll show you a good time. I can do this thing with the sliced peaches and milk where I stick the peaches up my-"

"Look, kid. She said she doesn't want to go with you." Zerin snapped at the young boy, holding his fork above his meal. Listening through all of this kid's chatter, Zerin had yet to take another bite of his food.

"Kid?" Reto looked appalled, "At least I don't look like a girl! Even I don't want that!"

Zerin's jaw dropped and his eyes widened in surprise, as did Reni's for a split second. However she quickly recovered and burst into a fit of giggles. Reto crossed his arms over his chest, looking very pleased.

"Reto! Leave the Prince of Hyrule and his girl alone!" A loud, deep voice boomed over at the group.

"She's not my girl!" Zerin quickly responded, even though he didn't know who the voice came from. Once again, at the same time, Reni shouted out, "I'm not his girl!"

Reto raised his eyebrows and eyed Zerin, "The prince, you say? Could'a fooled me."

A hefty man with a strong, muscular build approached the group. They remembered seeing this man exit the caravan with Reto. This man wore a collared, faded gray shirt and he had the sleeves rolled up his large forearms. He wore dark green trousers and a red belt that matched Reto's headband with a pair of bulky brown boots. He had an intimidating appearance over Reni and Zerin. His head was completely bald except for the tail of hair left at the bottom of his scalp that was tied into a ponytail. Although his hair still had its natural brown color to it, there were various gray strands throughout it. A large beard formed across his jaw line and a large scar traced down from his left eyebrow to his lightly tanned cheek.

"I hope you can excuse Reto. Sometimes he gets…well…out of hand." The man apologized. Reto let out a heavy sigh as he glanced up at the man.

"It's alright." Reni said quietly, "Are you his father?"

The man let out a great belly laugh, "No! I just watch over him. Picked this boy up the street a couple years back when his parents died but I'm no father. The name's Dirk." He said as he held out a hand towards the pair. Zerin raised an eyebrow. The name seems vaguely familiar to him, but then again, everything seemed to do that now when names and places pop up from his mother's stories.

Reni smiled, "I'm Reni. Seems you already know who Prince Zerin is."

"But, y'know; who doesn't know me?" Zerin shrugged casually.

"But how could I not know who you are, Reni?" Reto interrupted the conversation, sounding Reni's name on his lips. He let out a heavenly sigh as he continued, "You know, baby, your hair resembles the fire in my soul that burns for you."

A rather agitated and exasperated expression formed on Zerin's face. He looked down at his place with a nauseated stare as he thought, 'Farore. That line was actually really good.'

Dirk laughed loudly once again at Reto's line. Reni smiled at the boy in amusement. Dirk finished laughed and let out a sigh, "Well, of course I know who the Prince of Hyrule is. But I guess I could say I just knew him by his appearance. You look just like your father…in an odd girlish way." Dirk commented. Zerin glared at him and the man burst into another loud fit of laughter.

"Nice one, Dirk!" Reto laughed alongside the man. Reni chuckled lightly beside them.

"Yes, that's very funny." Zerin said sarcastically, now looking royally pissed. The laughter died down slowly.

"I'm just messing with you, boy. I fought alongside your father in the war." He said as he pulled up a chair to sit in. Reto did as well, right next to Reni.

"You did?" Zerin blinked.

"You bet I did! How else would I have gotten this scar? Cucco fights?" He burst into laughter once again and Zerin's patience was quickly running out. After his laughing quieted, he continued, "Well, anyway, I bet you wanna hear the story, right?"

Zerin, Reto and Reni all nodded to this question.

"Well, I'll start out with who I am. My father was from Hyrule, but-" Dirk paused and looked over at Reto, "Hey! Reto! Stop that!"

Zerin blinked and looked down at the kid, who was scrambling and picking into Zerin's pockets for any sort of treasure. He glared at Reto, "What are you doing?" He said, quickly moving away. Zerin was at the boy. He hadn't noticed him at all when the devilish creature attempted to rob him.

"Reto! What'd I tell you about picking pockets? Apologize to Prince Zerin!" Dirk scolded the boy.

Reto let out a sad sigh, "Sorry, Prince Zerin…" He said, although there was no real remorse in his voice. Zerin raised an eyebrow and looked at Dirk.

"Sorry about that! Reto's got a real knack for…thievery." Dirk said with an embarrassing smile as he patted Reto's head -who still looked pretty proud of himself.

"Guess we'll just have to keep an eye that thing…" Zerin said, as he scowled at Reto who stuck out his tongue playfully in return.

Dirk scratched his beard as he thought, "Now where was I…? Oh yes! My mother was a Yugano so I was born and raised there. My father visited from time to time but I never really got to know him." Dirk shared. Reni noticed Zerin's curious face toward Dirk's prologue. He continued, "I worked in Yugano as a blacksmith for most of my years. Although living in Yugano was like being cooped up, so in my later years I went on a little trip to Hyrule before the war to look up some family heritage. It turned out that my father was some big, fancy knight. Crazy, right?" He laughed once more.

Reni and Zerin looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Reto was drawn into the story just like any adventure-aspiring seven year old would be.

"Well, when the war started, I really wanted to live up to my father's nice reputation so I went up to the king and demanded that I be let into his army. What a great man that guy was! He was so convinced by my enthusiasm that I became a spy for Hyrule. I continued my work in Yugano as I spied on the conversations of warriors who came by. Business was bad though, because everyone knew I was part Hylian but they didn't know about my secret work!" Dirk grinned proudly.

"But you fought against your home country. You don't feel guilty about that?" Reni asked.

"Well, yeah of course I did. But I never really felt like a Yugano and from the start I had problems with that King Centir. I felt more like I belonged when I was in Hyrule," Dirk said as he ran his hand on the back of his neck, and then his voice became a shout of excitement as he continued; "Sometimes the guilt comes up, but then I get over it when I remember how badass I was in that battle!"

"Hell yeah!" Reto shouted proudly.

"Hey boy! Watch your language!" Dirk scolded him in-between laughs.

"Sorry, Dirk." Reto said with genuine remorse this time.

"Your father and I became pretty close. Heck, Zerin and I were great pals! I got that man drunk more times in one week than he'd ever been before!" Dirk joked around. Reni chuckled and raised an eyebrow at the young prince, who had a surprised look on his face at Dirk's statement. "I fought alongside him one of the last battles, too! That's where I got this scar, but damn, that guy was a great fighter! We had each other's back the whole way through. You ought to be proud, boy…"

"I am, believe me." Zerin smiled bashfully, "Mother might have mentioned you before in one of father's stories. Your name seems familiar. You were there with him to the end, weren't you?"

"Yes, to the end." The man grew solemn as he looked at the young prince.

"Were you there when…he died?"

Dirk's eyes widened in surprise when Zerin asked the question, however, he nodded in reply and lowered his head, "Yes. I was." He hesitated to continue, but he saw the look in the boy's eyes and proceeded to share the story. The images flashed back into his head as he recalled the scene, "I remember…the king just delivered…what was thought to be the final move. Centir was wounded deeply at that point and we didn't think he was going to hold out for very long. But…he…I don't really recall all the details. The next thing I saw, the king was on the ground." He said gravely.

Zerin closed his eyes. He never knew the details of his father's death. His mother never told him, other than that the king of Yugano killed him in the final battle. He didn't wish to know the explicit information; that might have been too much to handle. But he still wanted to know. He always wanted to learn about his father and Zerin listened intently as Dirk spoke from his memories.

"I can remember seeing Centir limp away; the wounds the King dealt him were severe. I was the first to go to his side. He was still alive, but he didn't have long. We…we spoke a little…before he passed. You probably don't remember me coming to the castle to deliver the news to your mother." Dirk spoke quietly.

"My father…" Zerin looked back at Dirk with a firm stare, "What did he say…before he died?"

"His last words?" Dirk ran a hand over his rugged beard, "The exact words are hard to pull out, but I remember our last conversation clear as day. He knew that losing the battle might have meant the loss of the war, but he managed to smile. He asked for a drink, which brought a chuckle out of me. He worried about breaking his promise to Queen Zelda that he would return home. He knew what was coming; he asked me to make sure his body was brought back to the castle, although I was in denial of this still. He then became…upset about...missing his son's third birthday."

Zerin looked away. Dirk let out a heavy sigh as he stopped.

"Do you have…anymore stories?" Zerin swallowed the lump in his throat as he spoke.

"Preferably happy ones." Reni whispered.

Dirk looked at him in surprise and let out a quiet laugh, "Yeah, I've got a few more…"

As he went on to tell the stories, the night moved by quickly. Soon, it was getting late and the feast was ending. Reto yawned loudly.

"Looks like it is bed time for this rascal." Dirk said as he stood up and picked up the half-asleep Reto into his arms, "You two should be getting along too. The kids should all be heading off to bed so the adults can have their fun." Dirk said with a wink, referring to the drinking games later that night.

"Of course. It was great to meet you!" Reni said with a warm smile, "Especially you!" Reni smiled to the little boy in Dirk's arms.

Reto looked up at her with sleepy hazel eyes and smiled hazily, "Well…then come tuck me in, sweet cheeks." He said smoothly before he closed his eyes again and fell asleep on Dirk's shoulder.

"Cute." Zerin replied cynically.

"Have a great time at the rest of the festival, you two! G'night!" Dirk said as he turned around.

"Goodnight!" Reni and Zerin both said in union.

"Oh, and Prince Zerin!" Dirk called back at them. Zerin turned around at his name. "Your father. He left one last message for you. Well…I'm going to guess that he left it for you. Sort of were his last words."

"Yes?" He inquired.

"He said, 'Everything will be all right. Hyrule will always survive with just rule.' I never really understood, but interpret what you want from it. It'll probably do you some good." Dirk saluted goodbye as he began walking away from the pair.

Zerin stood in silence for a few minutes before whispering a late 'thank you' but he wasn't sure Dirk got the message. He pondered the message in his head.

"You alright?" Reni interrupted his short train of thought with a worried glance.

Zerin looked back at her, "Yeah, um…I guess I'll just walk you home before I head back to Ilia's house."

"Oh yeah, that's right. You're staying at Ilia's house again." Reni remembered as she turned around to walk out of the village. Zerin picked up their empty plates, which they finished off while Dirk told his stories. He threw them in a basket filled with all the dirty dishes which were to be cleaned later. They walked in silence towards her home. He glanced over at Reni, who hummed quietly to herself as she walked.

"Hey, do I really look like a girl?" Zerin leaned over and whispered to Reni with fret in his voice.

"No, no! You're fine!" Reni said between giggles.

"I'm fine? What's that supposed to mean?" Zerin glared at her as she quickly stepped a few feet ahead of him. He crossed his arms as he followed her to the tree house.

She stopped at the ladder and looked back at him as he approached. She smiled and placed a hand on the ladder as if she was going to begin climbing up, "I had a great time today, Zerin."

Zerin beamed back at her, "I did too."

"Just wait until tomorrow!" She said as she began climbing up the ladder.

"Can't wait." He stared after her. She gave him a quick wave goodbye and Zerin waited until she was inside before he left. He looked back at the village behind him.

How many times has he just stood there looking after Reni after saying goodnight to her?

"I haven't seen you all day!" Impaya's high-pitched voice comes out of nowhere, as does she, when the young girl jumps into Zerin's vision. He took a startled jump back.

"What?" He started, half-shocked and half-confused. "I saw you this morning before you fought in the tournament. Which was amazing, by the way."

"Nowhere afterwards did I see you!" Impaya freaked out, "And thanks, I know." Zerin rolled his eyes.

"You know, as my…unofficial…bodyguard, I don't have to check in with you at all times of the day." Zerin sighed. Impaya smiled slightly, although that didn't tell him whether she understood what he said or not. She followed him eagerly as he walked back into the village. The adults have started their drinking games and were sending the children out in a hurry. Zerin could see that Dirk was the first to head to the wine barrels.

"So how's it been in Kakariko? The villagers treating you well?" He asked her, attempting to break the silence with her. Silence was Impaya was peaceful, but at the same time, it was weird not hearing her talk.

"It's lovely, my prince. The villagers are very kind, well, except for that Marianne lady. She's a little mean. And Mr. Kess is sometimes mean too but I think he just needs a hug. But the home I live in is very nice; it fits all of my cats! I help out Luda and the village with getting supplies! I met Gorons at the volcano and I wrestled and fought with them and it was awesome!" She said very in excitement. Zerin laughed. She politely toned down, "How have you and Reni been enjoying your adventure?"

"It's been alright." Zerin replied as they approached Ilia's home, "Been a bit rocky the past few days. But I'm sure it's going to be better by the end of this festival." He said.

"Oh, of course I can understand that. I mean, I've heard Reni just ramble about that foreign boy she's been seeing. From the sound of it, he seems pretty handsome." Impaya sighed dreamily.

"Wait, what?" Zerin looked at in his perplexity, "That's not what I was-"

"It's no wonder you're jealous!" Impaya grinned widely. Zerin glared at her.

"I'm not jealous and that wasn't what I was talking about." He corrected her. She shook her head.

"Don't worry! By the end of this festival, I'm sure she'll be falling in love with you! Head over heels!" Impaya said with a cheeky smirk.

"I could have said the same for you." Zerin stared warily at her. She burst into a fit of laughter and slapped his shoulder. He was surprised by the strength of her hit as it sent him a step forward. He rubbed his arm and looked back at her, "…Enjoy your night, Impaya. And I suggest you abandon all those thoughts you just had."

Impaya looked at Zerin and cocked an eyebrow. After contemplating his orders, she nodded obediently, "Will do, my prince!" She said, before trotting off to the fields where the tents were.

Zerin shook his head. Between the new thoughts of his mother and father, Zerin found it hard to get this ginger haired village chick out of his head. And that it was starting to drive him mad now.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Dirk: **A character owned by a dear friend of mine, Julia. Dirk was born in Yugano to a Yugano mother and a Hylian Father. His whole back-story was revealed in this chapter so I'm not gonna go all into it. In Yugano, they frown upon men piercing their ears like they do in Hyrule. As a form of silent protest, Dirk has pierced ears. He's good friends with Talo and works with him on blacksmithing, which is his career. Dirk and King Zerin I were good pals. Pretty much bros for life. After the war, Zelda granted Dirk full citizenship of Hyrule. He's recently moved to Kakariko Village and has recently been studying the myth of traveling into different realms. Dirk's a bit of a drunkard. He's never been married, although he's been with a few women, and has no family. Reto's the closest thing he's got.

**Reto: **Reto is a woman-chasing, pocket-picking, spunky little seven year old kid. His parents were killed when he was four and, with no other family, Reto lived in the alleys in Castle Town by himself. Until one day, Dirk just sees him in this miserable state. So the man picks the boy up (no matter how much he tries to fight back) and takes him home to raise him right. It's rather heartfelt... in a creepy kind of way. But only if you think about it like that, which you shouldn't. Anyway Reto has picked up most of his traits from Dirk; however the thievery is something he developed himself. Marianne hates his guts with a flaming passion because he's always jumping on her roof and terrorizing her son. Prince Zerin probably does too.


	18. The Festival, Pt 3

**KAPPALOCK:** Here's the last part of the festival (also the longest chapter so far). For this chapter, I'm placing a part in Ilielmar's new perspectives; thought that kid deserved a little spot in the sun. I hope it pleases! I'm very sorry about how late it is; I promised it at the end of February but yeah. Here it is now!

**Last Update: **3/21/12

.:.

Link woke up on the second day of the festival in a groggy state after a long night. He never was a fan of ale and the first day of the Festival was probably the sole night in a year that he drank, besides a couple of birthdays. And he definitely wasn't a fan of the sickness after a night like that- not that much happened. A couple of drunken fights and mindless antics, none of which he was a part of. He merely joked around with a few friends, casually reminiscing about the good ol' adventuring days before he headed back home. He didn't even both to change out of the clothes he wore that day.

It took all of his energy just to get out of bed and get ready the second morning, much earlier than he wanted to. But he had a job to do. Link changed and left the treehouse to find a few of the villagers already woke up early as well to help set up for the second day.

"Good morning, Link!" Colin was the first to greet him with a large grin. He was also the only one to greet him in such a way. Unlike everyone else, Colin retired to sleep before the drinking began.

"As to you." Link said wearily. He looked around at everyone picking up soiled dishes and fallen decorations.

"Do you mind helping me with these tables?" Colin asked, pointing to the various round tables that were used previously for the feast. "Here, you can snap the legs back. Like it folds! Isn't that neat? We're gonna move these back into Fado's home for storage."

"Alright." Link complied. He slowly walked over to assist him. They placed the folded tables into a wheelbarrow and rolled it over to Fado's when it was full, and repeated the cycle again. It only took a little less than an hour to pick up all of the tables with their combined effort. Well, most of the effort was on Colin's half. Link didn't understand why there was any effort anyway; they were going to have to get them out again for the festival eventually.

"Well, that's the last of them." Colin said as he loaded the last table onto the wheelbarrow. Link lifted it up and began to roll towards Fado's once again. He remained silent through most of the work while Colin mindlessly chatted away.

"I bet it's nice having Reni back home." Colin nonchalantly chatted with Link, who was still in a daze.

"Yeah, although I can't say we've talked much since she got here." Link answered slowly. Colin took the wheelbarrow from him and gave a knowing look. Link smiled, "Thanks. I can barely keep my eyes open."

"I can tell." Colin replied, "So, why is that?"

"Why is what?" Link murmured.

"Why haven't you seen Reni?" Colin chuckled at Link's drowsiness.

"Oh, right. Well, she's just been spending all of her time with Prince Zerin." Link explained, "Last time I saw them here, they barely got along."

"Ah, I remember that." Colin recalled, "Well, it's great to know that those two are getting along now. Connections to the royal family is a good thing for a girl her age."

"I'm not thinking like that just yet, Colin." Link quietly objected, "And hopefully she isn't either."

"I was only suggesting." He quickly corrected himself. Link sighed and shook his head. They came up to Fado's house and began to unload the tables into a storage room into his house. Link remembered how the house was always locked when he was young. Colin gave Link an encouraging smile and rolled the wheelbarrow away. Progress was made with the small help they had and all of the mess was cleaned up. Platforms were set up for the plays and shows to be presented on. The village was ready for the second day.

"Where's Ilia?" Colin asked, "She wasn't here this morning. I hope she didn't skip on it." Link looked back down, trying to remember last night. He looked at Ilia's home, seeing Dirk leave the house. He remembered Dirk from last night; that man could drink. Colin chuckled to himself.

"Why is Dirk leaving Ilia's house?" Link said with a yawn.

"Don't think about it too hard, Link." Colin said as he walked away, "I'm going to go home and take a nap before the festival starts. But you probably need one more than I do."

"Did she invite him to morning tea or something?" Link wondered. He shrugged, a nap did sound really nice. He began walking home. The only thing he hated about the festival were the mornings. At least there were only three. Somehow along the way home, his thoughts traced back to the prince.

Strange how the triforce left him earlier that week and suddenly it reappears on the prince's hand. It didn't look right either; it had a strange glow. And some boy named Ezaiu got the triforce as well? Some kid from Yugano or something; Link couldn't really bring up a memory or a face. But he wasn't one to question the goddesses' divine decisions, so he set it aside.

.:.

"Wake up, father, it's time to start the festival! They need you to ring the bell!" Reni shook Link's shoulder. Link grumbled. "Everyone else is already up, come on!"

"Have someone else...do it..." Link said sleepily, turning his back to Reni. She let out an annoyed sigh and continued to tug at him. Link waved his hand at her, shooing her away. "Fine, I'll get up." He moaned, slowly rising up, "I am never drinking again."

"That's what you said on your birthday." Reni leered.

"I always say that." He said, slowly getting down from his loft bed, "And I bet everyone else who stayed up in Ordon last night is saying the same thing."

"Let's just go." Reni giggled as she rushed him. They left the treehouse and entered the village. Link blinked, the sun still hurt his eyes. He really was the last one to wake up. Link stepped onto the platform, looking out at the crowd. He could see the equally tired faces among the adults of the crowd. Link sighed.

"I'm sorry for the delay everyone." Link apologized, trying to get it over with quickly. He hit the bell and it loudly rang back him. The noise actually startled him a bit and rang in his ears. "Let the second day begin." He said. The children ducked away, ready to see plays and hear stories. The adults walked away slowly, most resolving to go back to their tents and sleep. It was a day of relaxation after all.

Link decided to do the same. He could never get enough sleep. He walked off the platform and started to head home.

"Gather around children!" An old woman's shaky voice called out, "And I will share the forgotten tale of Yugano!"

Link turned his head. He couldn't recall the details of Yugano's outcome of the war, but he'd figure he'd listen. Who exactly was the kid with the Triforce of Wisdom anyway? Link crossed his arms and stopped, watching as the elderly woman stood behind the puppet stage and released two fish puppets in front of the children.

"This is an ancient lullaby recited by the Yugano people to remind themselves of the little boy who couldn't save his country." The old woman said. Link wondered if the children even understood what the woman was talking about. The woman danced the fish around as she chanted.

"_Little fish, little fish.  
What have you done to our pond..."_

Link went back to thinking. Although the children were just entertained by the woman's puppets, Link understood the chant. He remembered now. Ezaiu was the former Prince of Yugano. He didn't understand how a Yugano was given a triforce piece, but once again, he left trust in the goddesses. He just hoped that it was leading him to make the wise decisions like it was meant to do. He walked away as the last lines of the chant were sounded out behind him.

_"...This place used to be beautiful.  
What had you done to our pond?"_

.:.

"Ilielmar! …Ilielmar! Wake up and come outside already!" Ilia's angered voice rang throughout the house. The young boy groaned, rubbing his eyes and slowly rising up in his bed. He listened to the noises coming from the kitchen and the ones coming from his window. It sounded like the festivities already started. He must've slept in.

"Ilielmar, don't make me send Dirk in there to get you!" Ilielmar jumped out of bed at his mother's voice. Anger didn't suit her but he knew that when she was angry, it would be safe for the whole village to go hide under a rock. But Farore knows she wouldn't do anything about it besides send someone else to do it for her; Dirk was her executioner in this case.

"Iliel-"

"I'm up, mother." He quickly interrupted her, "Give me some time to get ready."

He didn't hear another word from her. He sighed, heading towards his closet and pulled out the outfit he made –with his mother's help- for the festival. He hastily tossed the outfit onto his bed. He shed his sleepwear and discarded the clothes in a pile in the corner of the room. He'd take care of that later.

It was the last day of the festival, now. What a morning to sleep in! He pulled on a long green vest over his bare back. It was a bit oversized and hung loosely over his shoulders. He admired his work and the features he put into it, like the gold trimming and open cuts in the fabric at the shoulders. He looped a lavender rope around his waist twice to keep the vest in place. He pulled on the cream-colored pants and a few pieces of jewelry he wouldn't wear if it wasn't for the festival. He ran his fingers through his blond hair in the mirror and looked out the window. He must've already missed breakfast.

Ilielmar headed out the door of his room. The second he left, he was immediately greeted by a large bin of dirty dishes pushed into his arms by his mother.

"Finally!" Ilia scolded him. It must've been a busy morning; she wasn't usually so cranky this early. "You missed breakfast."

He looked at her from over the dishes, "Sorry, mother."

"It's fine. Go wash those dishes and then you can eat." Ilia said, walking away. Ilielmar let out a groan, carrying the dishes to a large tub in the back of the kitchen. He placed them carefully inside; it was already filled with water. He sat on his knees, grabbed the nearby towel and soap and began washing.

If he would've woken up when he was supposed to, this job would be done and he could enjoy the rest of the festival. It was early in the afternoon now and this was not how he wanted to be spending it. He didn't really do much the past two days either. He hung out with Ultasi a bit during the tournaments and was with Ilia and Link during the feast. He wanted to see Reni for a bit and hear about her travels, but she was usually with Prince Zerin. He did meet a lot of new people yesterday. His mother's new friend, Dirk, was a nice guy. He was a blacksmith and good friends with Talo.

He actually met quite a few blacksmiths yesterday; about three of them. They were all good friends of Talo and in a guild together. Ilielmar thought about becoming a blacksmith. He thought about it a lot in his spare time. He expressed that many times to the men in the guild. Ilielmar's only experience in the trade was helping out Talo in his home from time to time, but that wasn't even where the real work took place. They were all from Castle Town. They were nice enough to include him the conversation and they even offered to teach him if he ever came around. The only problem was that he never left the village. It didn't bug him as much as it did Reni and he never brought the topic up with Ilia. He liked staying the village and working on the ranch.

He blindly reached down for another plate and felt nothing in the water. In that time he spent daydreaming about a life in that craft, he finished his morning chore. He smiled, now he could enjoy the rest of the day. He stood up and felt the empty pain in his stomach. Food first.

He walked outside. He headed around to the back of his house and off the ledge into the area of Talo's home. Tables and chairs were set up everywhere there. The village made sure to serve food to the festival guests throughout the day. He saw Dirk and a young boy sitting at a table, enjoying a very large lunch. His mother stood beside him and they were chatting away. He grabbed a plate of food and walked towards the small, round table.

"Look who finally came out!" Dirk greeted him loudly. Ilielmar flashed an embarrassed grin and took a seat. He didn't recognize the young boy and the child didn't acknowledge him; too focused on the large plate of pulled meat he was eating. Ilia smiled at her son.

"Ilielmar, this is Reto, Dirk's ward." She introduced the boy. Reto looked up at the new guest at the table. Ilielmar shyly smiled at him. Reto flashed a large grin, his mouth still full of meat and sauce. Ilia and Dirk continued on their conversation.

Ilielmar noticed that Dirk had the same meal as Reto, but his portions were _much _larger and had yet to be touched. Ilielmar slowly began eating his own food; his mother must've been getting all of Dirk's attention. He looked away after that thought. Not exactly something he wanted to really delve into.

He looked out into the village. Many people set up small stalls and stands early that morning. This was what the beginning of the last day was about. Ilielmar never really enjoyed this part of the day. He found it boring and usually the venders overcharged for useless baubles that would be forgotten in less than a month.

He smiled when he noticed a pair of familiar faces. Reni stood amid the crowded village with the prince and a young girl with white hair. Reni motioned towards the dining area and departed from the pair, leaving the prince with a slight hint of disappointment in his expression. She began heading their way. Ilielmar smiled and raised his hand to greet her, but someone else already beat him to the punch.

Reto jumped up in his seat and grinned widely although his cheeks were still filled with food. He swallowed and continued to grin away, "Hey baby, I've been lookin' for you e'rywhere!"

"You again." Reni sighed walking in front of them, placing her fists her hips.

"Good morning, Reni." Ilia smiled.

"Good morning." Reni said as she sat down across from Ilielmar.

"You two know each other?" Ilielmar inquired, pointing at Reto.

"We go way back." Reto said, resting his elbow on the table and looking at her dreamily.

"Met this kid on the first day." Reni corrected him, crossing her arms. Ilielmar looked back at the boy, who pouted in reply.

"I'll go get you something to eat." Ilia said, walking away.

"So, how do you like the festival?" Reni asked Dirk and Reto, placing her hands on her lap and crossing her legs.

"It's been so awesome!" Reto shouted, "Ilia showed me the goats! The goats are so cool!"

"Yeah, it's been great." Dirk said, looking at Ilia as she walked back over with a plate of food, "I'll have to come back next year!"

Reni smiled and took the plate from Ilia, nodding thanks. Ilia pulled a chair up and sat down in between Ilielmar and Dirk. Ilielmar realized his silence in the conversation and looked back over at Reni.

"What about Prince Zerin, is he enjoying it?" He asked her.

"Well, I haven't heard a complaint yet." Reni said. He laughed; it was still a surprise that the prince was enjoying the festival so much. Ilielmar still remembered the prince's arrogant attitude the first day they met.

"So, where is he now?"

"Oh, he's looking around with Impaya, I think." Reni said, starting to eat her meal. Ilielmar didn't recognize the name; he assumed it was the white haired girl he saw with them earlier.

"Well then, maybe you and I can get some alone time later." Reto raised his eyebrows, leaning over to her, "I know this great place outside the village where there's this nice little treehouse..."

"Yeah, it's called 'my house'." Reni sighed.

"What? I didn't know that!" Reto said in fake awe; it was clear to Reni that someone told him where she lived. She gave a knowing look to Ilia, who shrugged innocently. Reto placed two fingers on the table. Ilielmar watched in bewilderment as the boy's tiny fingers walked towards Reni's arm. Who was this kid? "Well, maybe later you can give me a tour...or somethin'."

"I'll...think about it." Reni smirked at him, pushing his fingers away.

Dirk let out a loud laugh that made Ilielmar jump in his seat. "Well, me and Reto are gonna head on and see what they're selling out there. Thanks for the meal, Ilia." Dirk said, rising up and picking up his plate. Ilielmar looked at the suddenly empty plate; he ate fast. Reto let out a groan and then finished the rest of his food.

"Oh, you're welcome." Ilia said, standing up as well and taking the plate from him.

"I'll see you later, baby." Reto winked at Reni, "Maybe I'll get a dance tonight." He said, picking up his plate as well.

"Again…I'll think about it." Reni coolly replied.

"See you later." Dirk said as he and Reto walked off. Ilielmar sat in amazement at the smooth lines he heard coming out that kid's mouth. He couldn't have been older than seven, maybe eight. He shook his head and let out a sigh. Well, the festival did bring some pretty interesting people.

"I'm glad that you and the prince are finally getting along." He said, looking back up at Reni, "At least, it looks like you two are."

"Oh, we are. He's not such a bad guy once you get past the ego." Reni shrugged, picking at her food. Ilielmar nodded in agreement.

"Have you seen a lot?" He asked.

"Yeah," Reni said with a full mouth, although she didn't care and neither did he. They've been friends long enough. "A few places but we've still got some more to go. Oh!" She swallowed her food and leaned forward in her seat, "I went to Kakariko Village and Castle Town! You would've loved Castle Town!"

Ilielmar bit his tongue. He never really felt jealous of Reni before. She always slacked off during ranch work and got away with it but he never minded that. She ran away from the village and got off with a slap on the wrist. He had thoughts about leaving but like said before, it didn't bother him. But after meeting all of those blacksmiths, the thoughts of becoming an apprentice thrilled him. And now, for probably the first time ever, he actually felt a little jealous of Reni's freedom and adventure. His eyes flashed back to her, "W-What's it like?"

"Oh it's really nice. There's lots of people so it's really crowded. You probably would like all of the different jobs there." Reni nodded, "You know, I'll have to ask Zerin to give us a tour of the castle or something. He'll do it."

"Really?" Ilielmar said with a smile. There was a short pause of silence as they both finished their food. He spoke up again, "You want to go see what they have around?" He inquired, although he wasn't really that interested in looking around. He just wanted to hear Reni talk more about her travels.

Reni shrugged, "Yeah, sure." She rose up. They cleaned their plates and headed into the center of the village, crowded with guests and vendors. They mostly sold items from different countries and regions; toys, books, jewelry, pottery, flowers, clothes. Whatever someone wanted, there was a sure chance they could find it on the third day at the Ordon Festival. "I'll have to find my father though and ask for some rupees."

"Don't worry about it, Reni. I have some." Ilielmar offered her. His work with Talo wasn't all volunteer; Talo usually paid him five rupees for his assistance. A little cheap, but he didn't complain. Reni looked back at him.

"You don't have to do that." She protested.

"No, it's fine." He assured her. She smiled at him.

They walked around and Reni told him everything that happened over the past month. Ilielmar felt the jealousy rise up again. She did so much more in a week that he ever did in a day in that village.

"The Yugano you met didn't come to the festival?" Ilielmar asked after she finished telling him the story. That wasn't the only question he wanted to ask, he had so much more. He figured that she was asked a lot of questions already when she told people about the trip.

"No, they didn't." She said with obvious dissatisfaction on her face.

"And that guy, Jayem?" Ilielmar questioned with a sly smile, "You two are…"

"I guess it's safe to admit that we're kind of together." Reni said, the color in her cheeks glowing. He was surprised to hear that she met someone along the trip. He and his mother had some ideas about her and the prince, but that's just what they were; ideas. He looked at her with a big grin, just as excited for her newfound relationship as she was.

"Does the prince know?" Ilielmar asked.

"I don't know," Reni related, "I'm pretty sure he doesn't care, though."

"Oh." Ilielmar mumbled. He was impressed that he found a few things in the stalls at this year's festival. The Yugano's stories he heard from Reni interested him so he purchased an old book on the country's history. He found an interesting wind chime from a country up north where it snows all year. He planned to hang it outside his window. Reni found a pastel-colored scarf made out of silk from the east. She didn't know when she would wear it but Ilielmar encouraged her to buy it anyway.

Ilielmar and Reni wandered around some more, laughing and talking it up. They reminisced about the times that they pranked Fado back on the ranch and Reni mentioned various little things she left out when she retold her stories. She stopped walking as they came by a little wooden stall run by three little girls. They sold flowers and offered to braid hair for anyone that came by.

Reni went over to their stall and bended over to look at them in the stall, "What are you selling?" She asked politely, even though the answer was clearly obvious. Ilielmar stretched his back as Reni bantered with the young girls for flowers. They pulled out a short, little, wooden stool and had her sit on it. She grinned widely as two of the girls circled around her, braiding white flowers into the headband in her bright locks.

Reni looked up at Ilielmar as they tended to her, "You seem a bit off today. What's on your mind?" She asked. Reni could always tell if there was something going on.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He lied with ease as he sat on the grass. Reni raised an eyebrow and smirked at him. He laughed, "It's not that big of deal, really."

"Tell me." She demanded with a smile.

Ilielmar sighed in defeat, crossing his legs and resting his elbows on his knees. "Hearing all of your stories makes me really want to go to Castle Town. I think I want to be a blacksmith. I've met with a few and they've offered me apprenticeships if I ever go up there. "

"Ilielmar, that's fantastic." Reni smiled, "It's great that you know what you want to do. I still don't have an honest clue. Why don't you talk to Ilia about it?"

"She wouldn't say yes." Ilielmar spoke, "And I don't mind staying here. Besides, I kind of feel like mother...needs me here." He said, starting to draw lines in the dirt with his finger.

Reni scoffed at him loudly, "That's a load of-" she stopped herself, realizing that there were three little girls in very close distance to her. She gave him a knowing look, "You know Ilia doesn't need you that much. You're just making up excuses. You're just afraid to ask."

"N-no! I'm not!" Ilielmar quickly defended himself.

"You're afraid to ask!" The little girls braiding Reni's hair chimed in. Ilielmar groaned, resting his chin on the palm of his hand.

Reni flashed a smile to the young girls, "Ilielmar, please, I've known you since we were babies. You can't get past me." She smirked, looking back him as he sat dumbstruck. "You can do it, can't you?"

Ilielmar shook the expression of his face and lazily smiled, "I'm considering it. There's a part of me that still wants to run the ranch after Fado retired."

"You'll figure it out eventually." Reni smiled at him, "I don't understand why you like that work so much. It's just so…boring." She groaned. Ilielmar chuckled quietly, shaking his head.

.:.

Zerin sighed. Impaya successfully made it her job today to touch and pick up and look at everything in sight. The people in the stalls were all getting very annoyed with her. She would come and go as she pleased and not buy a single thing from any of them. She was kind enough to loudly voice her complaints and threatened to kick whatever part of them she could identify. Zerin smacked his face as he heard another argument carry on in the background. He was getting even more annoyed since she would come back begging him to buy her whatever she came across. Everyone was looking at them; the embarrassment was almost unbearable. Although, Impaya seemed to be immune to public opinion, so she didn't have a care in the world. She happily skipped up next to the prince.

"I saw this thing back over there! I don't know what it was but I bet that my cats would love it! You have to get it for me!" She tugged at his arm.

"No Impaya." Zerin sighed.

"Okay." She said. The only relief was that she didn't argue with him and get sad when he said no. Whatever he said, it was her law. Zerin admired the pure devotion but he hoped she wouldn't end up being a lovesick golden guard dog. Impaya let go of his arm and continued to trot beside him.

"Are you gonna buy anything today?" Impaya asked him.

"Probably not. I don't have any rupees on me." He replied blankly, crossing his arms.

"Oh." She muttered. Her white eyebrows cinched together in a quirky way that let Zerin know she was thinking- but not in a good way. She leaned her head over slowly, "So...are you gonna buy anything for Reni?"

He sighed deeply before answering her. "What did I just say?"

She smirked, "So if you did have money, you _would_ get her a gift?"

"Impaya..."

"You can't fool me!" The little girl cried out, creeping around behind him, "I _know _things. I've been watching you, my prince. I can read you like a book." Zerin decided to ignore the complete creepiness of that last statement on the account of her lack of social skills.

"That's funny. Last time I check you couldn't read at all." He sneered.

"Oh, you." She blushed, embarrassed by this known fact, "Actually, Luda has been teaching me! I know the alphabet, now!" She said very proudly.

Zerin looked back at her, "Well, good for you!" He said with a genuine smile.

"You wanna hear it! I can say it backwards too!"

"Not right now, Impaya. Maybe later."

"Oh, really?" She was practically exploding with excitement, "I'll go practice! It's gotta be perfect!" She said, running off in the opposite direction before Zerin could stop her; there was no stopping that girl anyway.

He looked around at the stalls nearby him. He thought about what Impaya said and groaned. He really had to stop letting that little girl put thoughts into his head. Reni was at the other side of the village, sitting at a stall with Ilielmar where a group of small girls just finished sewing white flowers into her hair. She smiled at them, paid them for their work and went off in another direction with Ilielmar.

Zerin continued down the line of stalls. She did help him get back on his journey and saved his life a few times…and it was her birthday not so long ago…and they were friends. He sighed; he supposed that she did deserve a little something. He glanced around him; just what would he get her? He never bought anyone a gift before. His servants usually took care of that. What does one get a girl like Reni anyway?

He decided that this particular situation required a lot of thinking. He didn't want to give her a stupid gift or one that gave the wrong message. In the words of one of his teachers; there were gifts that meant 'you're alright with me' and other gifts that meant 'let's retire to my bedroom'. He sighed, that was not the message he wanted to send.

He felt a sudden presence behind him and quickly turned around, seeing Impaya made her way back to him. She grinned at him, "Thinking about buying Reni something _now_?"

Zerin rolled his eyes, "Fine. You caught me." He forgot that Impaya was also a girl. He had an ounce of hope that she could possibly help him find something for Reni. He looked around anxiously and then back at Impaya, "Help me find something for her."

"Yes, your majesty!" She said proudly. She glanced around at the stalls surrounded her and smiled, "Get her jewelry! She'll like jewelry!"

"Really?" He questioned. Zerin was surprised that a normal answer actually came out of her and not something like 'a twelve-week workout plan' or 'catnip'. Then he wondered; did that fit in the first gift meaning or the second? He pushed the thought away, that teacher had rather old-fashioned opinions anyway.

"Sure! Well, back in Kakariko, that woman Marianne gets all these gentlemen in and they would give her all sorts of jewelry, like these shiny necklaces and rings." Impaya told Zerin as she pulled him away. He raised his eyebrow; he wouldn't have ever figured that uptight mother to be that type of woman. Impaya pulled him in front a stall selling wooden and clay jewelry.

"That'll work." Zerin shrugged, "You know more than you let on."

"What? No, I saw Reni and that kid stop at this stall earlier. They didn't get anything, though." Impaya revealed with a smile.

"Even better." Zerin said, approaching it. The man at the stall immediately rose to attention as the prince and his bodyguard came to his stall. Zerin noticed two seats in front of the stall but didn't bother sitting down.

"Ah, the Prince of Hyrule at my stall." The man greeted with a wide grin, "What can I do for you?" The man had dark skin and a short gray mustache but he didn't look very old. His smile revealed missing teeth and Zerin shuddered in disgust. His eyes were searching the prince up and down greedily.

"Uh..." Zerin said slowly, looking at the other stalls around him. Maybe there was one with a vendor that wasn't so creepy.

"He needs jewelry!" Impaya announced beside him.

"Surely not for himself, the prince must already have fine jewelry at the castle." The man observed, "Shopping for a lady friend?"

"…Sure." Zerin settled with a huff.

"What kind of girl is she?" He asked him but he didn't give Zerin a chance to answer as he quickly brought up a necklace strung with wooden ornaments, "May I make a few suggestions?" Zerin looked at it closer and noticed the small designs carved into the different pieces.

"Oh, that's so pretty!" Impaya cried out.

"Tacky." He quickly retorted. The man scowled at him. Impaya frowned. He pulled out several other pieces that all seemed to be of high quality. Impaya loved them but Zerin denied them all.

"You have…sharp taste…" The man glowered as he pulled out a divided tray. Each square of the tray was filled with wooden beads. "I can offer you the opportunity to make your own bracelet." He offered with a hopeful gleam in his eyes, pushing the tray towards Zerin and Impaya. They looked closer and saw that the beads were all made of different woods and had markings etched into them. Zerin straightened back up as he heard Impaya whisper in his ear and try and convince him to make a bracelet.

He sighed in defeat, "Yeah, I'll do that."

"Fantastic! This feature is very expensive. I usually charge about a flat price of thirty rupees and fifteen rupees per bead; they're all handmade of course. But since it's _you_, I'll give you a discount." The man smirked, "Just a flat price; two hundred rupees."

"Oh," Zerin commented, unmoved by the price. He blinked at a sudden realization, "Oh…I don't have any money." He became so caught up in his plan with Impaya that he completely forgot that he had to pay for this stuff. He wished Reni let him take those bets when Impaya competed in the tournaments on the first day. The young Sheikah leaned into him, wondering if she should complain about the price or not. The man groaned. He stroked his short mustache as he looked up and down at the prince.

"Well, how about a trade?" He offered. Zerin raised an eyebrow. The man continued, "Are those earrings _real_ gold?"

"Huh? Of course, they are." Zerin said, insulted that the man would even doubt he'd settle for less. Instinctively, Zerin rose up a hand to feel the small earring around his ear. He completely forgot that he was wearing them this whole time.

"I suppose I could trade you the opportunity for the pair..." The man said coyly.

"Do it, my prince!" Impaya begged him in his ear once more.

"That sounds alright." Zerin agreed, shrugging Impaya away. He didn't care if it could be considered a fair deal or not. He wouldn't miss them; he had other pairs at home. He took them out and the man was practically shaking with excitement at the sale he made.

"Here is the string. It's guaranteed to last for years!" The man carelessly tossed Zerin the item and sat back in his chair. He carefully examined the earrings as he explained, "Just string whatever beads you'd like on it and I'll tie the knot for you."

"Thank you." Zerin said, now sitting down at the seat. Impaya sat next to him, watching eagerly. Zerin pulled the tray closer to him, examining the design on each bead before stringing them. He chose ones engraved with the names of different places they've visited or planned to and things that reminded him of her, like goats and earthy things. He strung on a bead with the crest of the Royal Family and then reached for the last one.

"Pick that one!" Impaya chimed in.

He laughed as he strung on the last bead made of light colored wood carved with the symbol she decorated on her clothes. He felt better having Impaya there to help, "There, it's perfect."

.:.

The sun began to set in the last day of the festival, but it wasn't over yet. The vendors took down their stalls and made way for the bonfires set throughout the village, the largest one being the very front. The musicians gathered with their fiddles, flutes, tambourines and other strange instruments and played for everyone to hear. The men threw down logs to sit on around the small bonfires. They cleared the area around the largest pit so everyone could partake in the merry dancing circling around.

The fires blazed against the night sky and the festivities began. Reni and Zerin sat at the small bonfire by Talo's house. Most of the Ordon inhabitants were there as well, enjoying each other's company.

"Everyone, come over here. We've got something to share." Colin held Beth and his son close as they ushered everyone in for their exciting news. Reni and Zerin stayed seated at the log; they were close enough to hear. Colin scratched the back of his neck as he nervously spoke, "Well, we've been talking a lot lately…y'know, as a family and we've come to this decision. We'd think it'd be best if ever-"

"Oh, don't bore on, Colin. We're having another baby!" Beth loudly intercepted the sentence with her exclamation. Beth's cry of joy was joined by various other females as they ran off to share the excitement together. Colin was knocked away by the horde of women into the congratulations -and apologies- of the men by the bonfire.

Reni grinned widely as Ultasi approached her and Zerin with Ilielmar by his side. "Congrats. I bet you're excited to have a new sibling!"

Ultasi politely smiled and shrugged, "I think it'll just be nice to see a new face in this village."

"Ultasi!" The boy was beckoned by the calls of his father. Ultasi nodded goodbye at the pair and ran towards his father's group. Ilielmar took a quick glance at Reni and Zerin and then followed in suit.

Zerin sighed, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees, "That's really exciting for them."

"Well, we don't get news like that every day here in the village." Reni replied back, "It's practically a gift for everyone."

"Gift?" Zerin blinked at the word. He remembered what he bought for Reni earlier from that vendor. Zerin quickly dug into the pocket of his pants and searched for the bracelet. He felt nothing; wrong pocket. He reached for the other one. The large group that formed around Colin and Beth moved past them towards the larger fire. Before Zerin could get into his pocket, Reni grabbed his arm and pulled him up from his seat.

"Come on, Zerin! This way!" Her voice urged him.

Before he could say anything, he was pulled into a large crowd. Reni's hand was around his, preventing them from getting separated. Around him, the people clapped and jumped around to the music that played. They moved through the crowd until they were in an open space and in perfect view of the large and proud bonfire. Men and women of all ages danced either with a partner or in a small group. Zerin observed the scene in awe. Their arms linked together as they circled around the fire, their joyous faces illuminated by the radiance of the flames.

Reni giggled and shook her head in embarrassment as her father reached for her hand to join them. But he got a hold of her and she was pulled into the merriment. The crowd cheered as new people bravely entered the dance. Zerin sighed and just observed from afar, lightly clapping out the music. He watched as Reni danced in circles with her father around the fire, her hand on his shoulder and the other holding her dress from getting caught up in her bare feet. Link lifted Reni from the ground just as the other dancers lifted their partners. Their feet leaped around until he released her and the pairs switched partners around the fire. She twirled into Ilielmar and both of them laughed as they continued the dance with each other.

Reni turned her head, making eye contact with the prince. She curled away from Ilielmar, who found a new partner with another girl. She reached her hand out and motioned for Zerin to join her. His eyes glanced around; everyone was just freely dancing to the music but their movements all seemed to synchronize with each other in harmony. He worried that if he got out there, he'd end up ruining the whole magic.

Zerin gave a half-hearted smile and raised a hand to decline, "I don't think I-"

Reni scurried toward him with a mischievous grin on her face. She wasn't about to let him miss out on this. Neither were the people in the crowd. The men behind him pushed Zerin into the jubilee and into Reni. She smiled and grabbed his hand, forcing him further into the dancing mass. Zerin heard the crowd cheer but he still froze mid-step. Reni didn't say anything but curtsied before him, like the ladies would do in the balls back at the palace; although he'd only seen two. Zerin didn't see anyone else do this before they danced and hesitated in his movements. Someone else who was caught up in the dancing collided with his shoulder. There he was, ruining the magic. He nervously bowed back at Reni and looked at the dancers moving around them. He had to remember that they were all just having a good time. She giggled and scooped up his hand and placed hers in it. She moved his hand to hip and picked up her dress. Zerin smirked at her.

"I know what to do." He replied.

"Then let's not stand here." Reni smirked back, pulling him away. The dancing around the fire was fast-paced and the people bounced as they moved. Reni let Zerin move just a bit slower to get the steps before they picked up the pace and moved at speed with everyone else. He switched between looking around at what every other couple was doing to looking at Reni. He felt his back collide with another couple.

"Whoops!" Reni said, bursting in laughter and leaning into Zerin to see the other couple. Zerin looked around sheepishly but she pulled him back into the dance with ease. She laughed as they skipped around and eventually Zerin let go and laughed as well, even when they ran into someone else. Zerin looked around, seeing the other dancers lifting their partners in the air as they turned. Reni raised an eyebrow as he tensely moved both hands to her waist and lifted her into the air like the others. The smiles on both of their faces grew larger as he set her back down. Reni was a bit surprised that he lifted her so easily. Sure, they did Impaya's training but she only noticed his progress a few times. Was he always that strong?

Zerin was just about caught up in the dance with her. He looked back into her blue eyes, no longer feeling the need to watch what everyone else was doing. His felt his smile drop a bit as everything drowned out in the background. Reni grinned back at him, reviving his smile. She suddenly removed her hand off of his shoulder and twirled around him. She released their hands and danced towards someone else. Zerin blinked back to reality; they were switching partners. Zerin was suddenly greeted by a girl he didn't recognize. She was pretty but she didn't keep his attention. Zerin tossed his head over his shoulder, searching for Reni and hopeful that he could meet up with her again. He didn't know why he was hoping for something like this, but he liked the situation better with her.

They continued to dance and eventually the cycle repeated and they switched partners. The girl spun out of Zerin's arms. He whipped his head around looking for the ginger-haired girl among the gathering. The number grew in just a short time and the area became more spread out for room. He suddenly felt a hand clutch his shoulder and turn him around, pushing him back into the dance. The hand clasped with his as he instinctively grabbed their waist. Zerin turned his head and smiled at Reni.

"I was hoping I'd see you again." Zerin said.

"Really?" Reni looked up at him, raising both eyebrows, "Seems you've finally gotten the hang of this." She laughed as she glimpsed her eyes down at their feet. He laughed with her. She still wore the white flowers in her hair. The petals were falling off and drifting away into the flames behind them. The festive dance continued and the music got louder and quicker. Reni closed her eyes as she spun under his arm. She felt the dirt and grass underneath her feet, although it was all becoming a bit muddy now. She didn't mind. She felt the fire's warmth on her skin and realized she was a bit out of breath. She didn't mind that either. She opened her eyes to Zerin's staring back at her. She spun one final time and the music stopped.

The crowd applauded the musicians. Reni stumbled back a bit on her feet, a bit dizzy. Zerin laughed, catching her shoulder and letting her lean against him for support. She stretched her arm across his back and laughed with him. They quickly moved out of the way as a new dance started up and people moved in and out of the area. They were dancing for a while and she still felt a little dizzy from all the spinning. She dropped her hand and Zerin took it, intertwining their fingers. She didn't complain. She was focusing on getting away from all that noise and heat. She could hear him still laughing behind her as they headed towards the ranch.

.:.

"I never thought that would be so much fun!" Zerin beamed as he climbed over the fence after Reni. The goats were all out grazing in the field. She could still hear the music from the village. She ambled out further, still catching her breath. She collapsed into the grass on her back and exhaled deeply. Zerin followed her, sitting down next to her. He folded his arms over his knees. He looked down at her with a crooked grin. She smiled back.

"I told you it would be." She said, resting her arms on her stomach. Zerin silently picked up one of the petals that fell out of her headband and rubbed it between his fingers. Reni breathed out slowly once more and rose back up. She tugged on her shawl and wrapped her arms around her knees, looking out at the goats. The goats moved amongst each other. The few baby goats pranced around the older goats' legs and chased around each other. She looked at Zerin's back and the goat image Ilia sewn into it. She chuckled; he was right. He looked over at her.

"What?" He inquired.

"Nothing." She laughed, shaking her head.

"No, tell me." He smirked, flicking away the petal.

"I was just thinking about what you said a while ago." Reni explained, looking down, "You were right. We village folk love our goats."

Zerin faintly chuckled, "It's actually nice to have something to be so proud of. It's like…it's like your village's crest. I don't know any other village in Hyrule that has one. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I do. That's a good point." Reni smiled, reaching up and picking the loose petals off her headband. She looked back at Zerin. He reached over and plucked off one that got entangled in her hair. She watched silently as he flicked that one away as well.

"…You've got good friends here." Zerin said quietly.

"I guess," Reni replied, looking back at the goats, "The people in this village are more like family. You saw how everyone got so excited about Colin and Beth having a baby. It's because it's like a new family member for everyone." She smiled. She paused and turned her head to the sky, "We're kind of like the goats. They're a herd; a family. And we've got people like my father keeping us together and making sure we don't get separated. I've…never really realized that before. Not until I left home. It really puts things into perspective, makes me appreciate this place and how much I'm gonna miss it when we head out."

Reni stopped herself, grasping that she was starting to ramble. She looked back up at Zerin and noticed the pained expression forming on his face. She leaned into him, "Zerin?"

"You're a lot luckier than you use to take yourself for." Zerin murmured, "The only thing I've got is my mother."

"I'm sure that's not just it, Zerin." Reni quietly argued, playfully elbowing him. He looked back her with a faint smile.

"You really think that I had anyone back in the palace?" Zerin asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "Please, I never even went outside Castle Town until a month ago. The guards made sure I was never out of their sight. Even leaving the castle was a rare occurrence; once my mother got sick, I spent morning and night with teachers and the council every day. And let me tell you, that castle is big and pretty empty. And eventually…it'll just be me." Zerin confessed, shaking his head. He sighed and looked back at Reni, who was staring back with a sorry expression. Zerin rolled his eyes and bumped her with his shoulder, "Oh, don't give me that look."

"But you…" Reni began, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and turning towards him, "You know that's not true anymore." She said, placing a hand on his arm.

"Yeah, thanks to you." He replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"What?" Reni blinked.

"If I never met you, I would've never done any of this. I would've never come to this festival. I would've never met all those people like Impaya or Dirk. Your whole little village family is really welcoming and you guys know how to make this place feel like home, even though, honestly, it's not even close. You're probably the only friend I've ever really had." Zerin chuckled, turning towards her. "It's all thanks to you."

"Zerin, I…" Reni stuttered once more, turning down and left speechless. She gazed back up at Zerin, who was staring intently back at her. Her shoulders loosened up, everything just melting away around them. She didn't think about what was going on but it felt okay to just relax as it just happened. Zerin leaned into her, closing his eyes as she did. He reached up his hand to her face but they never touched. His hand met with something soft and furry.

"_Baaaaa."_

They both stopped and slowly opened their eyes. Their faces were only inches away. Zerin blinked as a baby goat rose up and licked his chin, nuzzling in the space between them. They both pulled away quickly. Reni stared at the goat in surprise and then broke into laughter, pulling the goat onto her lap and petting its head. Zerin blinked and sat in silence for a few seconds before letting out an uneasy chuckle. Reni didn't look back at him. He ran a hand down his neck; just what was all of that?

"Well," Reni began awkwardly as the goat jumped out of her lap and ran towards the others, "That was…umm..."

"Yeah." He managed to say. He turned his body away from Reni.

"We…we were just caught up in the moment, right?" Reni asked quietly. Zerin simply nodded, a bit disorientated. It was just like she said. They were just caught up in the moment; the festival, the dancing, the banter and teasing. It was nothing. They didn't even kis-

"I mean, I'm practically with Jayem." She kept talking, running her hand through her hair, "So it's not as if we-"

"Wait, what?" Zerin shot his head back up at her. She looked at him in surprise.

"Me and Jayem, we've been…we're together, I-I guess." She awkwardly explained, turning her body away from him now.

"And you didn't tell me?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"I didn't think you really cared." Reni looked back at him, her expression the same as his, "You…you don't, do you? I mean, we're ju-"

"I don't." Zerin quickly replied, "No. I don't." He didn't want to hear the rest of it. He stood up, "We should head back now."

She stood up too and faced him, "Yeah, you're right. We should."

Zerin looked at her. Once again, they stood in silence. He raised a hand slowly, "Reni…"

She quickly turned away from him and began walking towards the ranch gates. Zerin slowly followed behind. They just both needed to get out there.


	19. The Parting

**KAPPALOCK:** I wanted to have a part in the last chapter set in Impaya's point of view, but it was already so long and I didn't want to make it any longer. So a short tidbit of the beginning of this chapter will be for that. Sorry for the long wait, I am in college now and quite busy but I was determined to finish this while I was on my winter break! Happy holidays and happy New Year!

**Last Update:** 1/17/13

.:.

Impaya didn't know what was up with those two. The last few days were most fun she ever had in years. Although that really didn't say a lot considering she spent ten years solitude in the hidden village. She did wake up the next morning disappointed it was over but she was still in pure bliss remembering all that happened. She expected everyone else felt the same. She expected that everyone would be in a good mood the next day just as she was. Well, maybe she was just thinking selfishly but everyone was in a good mood, even as they said their goodbyes. Everyone was happy except for those two particular people. The last time she saw them was when they danced with each other around the fire and then she was pulled in by someone she'd never met before. The person took her surprise and, with her Sheikah reflexes, she took her knee to their stomach and dashed off. Luda chastised her for that later.

Reni and Zerin were avoiding each other all morning. Impaya saw them giving each other uncomfortable glances and they rarely said a word to each other. When Impaya was helping Luda load the things they brought into their caravan, she saw Reni saying her goodbyes to Link, Ilia and Ilielmar. She was dressed back in the outfit her father gave her for her birthday. Impaya liked that outfit much better than her old one. She looked like a hero, like her father. She rushed her cats into the back of the caravan and took a headcount, making sure she didn't leave one behind.

"Impaya." Zerin's approached her. He was dressed back in his royal traveling outfit.

"My prince!" Impaya smiled at him, "Are you leaving soon?"

"Yes," He answered quietly, "Reni and I are leaving with the Resistance and heading…somewhere. I don't know where yet. We'll figure it out along the way."

"Oh, I see." She said. She knew she shouldn't meddle but she just couldn't resist. Her prince didn't seem very happy and she decided that keeping her prince's happiness as a priority was a reasonable excuse to do so. "So, what's up with you and Reni? You guys don't look as friendly as you did dancing 'round that fire last night in each other's arms an-"

"Nothing." He quickly answered, "Things are just a bit rocky right now. I don't want to talk about it."

"Did you give her the bracelet?" She asked.

"Impaya. I don't want to talk about it." He said between gritted teeth. There was an edge in his voice. Usually Impaya didn't take his irritability seriously but there was something different about him this time. She felt that if she said anymore, he would just burst in anger. She kept her mouth shut and just nodded.

"Well, I'm going to head back to Kakariko Village. When's the next time I'll see you?" Impaya carefully asked.

"I don't know right now." Zerin sighed, relaxing a bit, "I'll send a letter if I'm heading your way."

"Okay." Impaya nodded. She looked behind her and saw Luda and the others getting into the caravan. "Goodbye, my prince." She said, bowing this time. She wanted to hug him like she usually did but it probably wasn't for the best right now.

"Farewell." Zerin said, briefly bowing his head back and walking away. Impaya sighed and turned around, climbing in the caravan. Reto and Dirk, the newcomers to Kakariko Village, were already there with Mr. Kess, Old Grierman, Marianne and her son. Malo and Luda sat in the front to drive the horses. Impaya watched as Zerin said quick goodbyes to Reni's family and friends. He looked at Reni with a distant stare and they both headed for the Resistances' caravan with Colin.

Impaya closed the tarp and slumped into her seat in the caravan. Her prince was in a bad mood and now she was in a sad mood. She heard Reto chat loudly with Dirk about how much fun he had at the festival and then poke his wooden sword into the arm of Marianne's son. Marianne complained to Dirk about Reto's behavior but Dirk just shrugged off whatever she said with a comment about having a stick up her ass. Of course, Luda stepped in before they got into a fight. She heard Mr. Kess and Old Grierman grumble angrily about the cats purring at their feet. Those two men were both so grumpy. She recounted her pets again, just for good measure.

.:.

"Are you two ready to go?" Telma asked the clearly bothered pair as they approached the caravan. Reni and Zerin look at each other silently and then looked away.

"Yes." Zerin replied to Telma.

"Well then come on, get in. We've got places to go, don't we?" Telma said as the headed towards the front of the caravan with Colin.

Reni and Zerin boarded the back of the Resistance's caravan and sat on the edge. Telma sat the front, "Alright, everyone! Let's go!" She shouted. Shad, Ashei and Auru crowded towards the front as they discussed the festival and the fun they had. Reni and Zerin remained silent, their bodies turned away from each other. They departed the village with the other caravans in a line.

Reni looked up with a sigh as her village disappeared from view behind the mountain walls. She could still see the top of the tree of her home but that too soon faded from sight as they came into Faron Woods. She tried hard to avoid looking at Zerin. She could feel the back of her neck burning, wondering if he was looking at her.

Once they got into Hyrule Field, the caravans went along their separate paths. Telma looked back at the pair, "Where are we dropping you two off at?" She called to them.

Reni and Zerin looked at each other silently. Reni was the first to speak, "Where to next?"

"I don't care." He said dryly.

Reni stared at him for a moment before turning away, "Actually... you can just drop us off right here." She answered. She didn't look in his direction but she could see him look back up at her from the corner of her eye.

"Are you sure, we can keep going?" Telma asked, confusion sounding in her voice.

"No, just let us off... please." Reni protested quickly. She could tell Zerin was about to protest against her, but Telma was already drawing the caravan to a stop.

"Alright, then." Telma smiled, "Feel free to stop by the tavern any time!" She called out to them as she got the horses moving again.

"It was an honor meeting you, your highness." Auru nodded to him humbly.

Zerin nodded back, "Thank you." He would given a more grateful goodbye. He was thankful that he had the chance to meet them again and redeem himself as their prince but he wasn't in the mood.

The caravan began heading off in the direction of the castle in the distance. Many of the other groups had already made their way far off into Hyrule Field.

"Great, now we have to walk." Zerin groaned at her as he walked away.

"That's fine with me. I needed to talk to you anyway." Reni replied as she followed him. He stopped in his tracks ahead of her. She looked up at him and sighed, "You know, just because of what didn't happen last night, you don't have to be a little-"

"I'm not upset about that." Zerin snapped firmly, turning around and facing her. Reni held his angry stare as he continued, "In fact, I am kind of glad that didn't happen. Why don't you enlighten me on why you're upset?"

Reni snarled at him, "I'm not, I'm just-"

"You're just upset because you think I'm upset." Zerin quickly answered for her, "That's kind of immature, don't you think? Well whatever, let's just move on our way. We've got places to go and we have to walk." He said as he continued moving.

Reni stared at him in disbelief that he just dropped the subject like that. She shook away the expression on her face. Why was she so surprised? He was acting like the same immature royal highness he was when they first met. She knew him better than that and now this conversation was an argument she wasn't going to lose.

"No, Zerin! Wait!" She caught up to him and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to face her again, "You can't talk to me like that! Tell me the truth. You know, I didn't really notice it at first but you've been acting weird ever since... ever since you got the Triforce! What's up with that?"

Zerin lowered his eyes, taking some steps back away from her and looked at the mark imprinted on his hand. He couldn't blame her for that accusation, he was a little on the defensive about it all. Ecspecially considering the way the Yugano started acting after the fact. He'd been needing to talk to her about that. He opened his mouth to finally explain but she continued.

"I don't even know why it was given to you. You hardly deserve it." Reni tried to keep her voice quiet but Zerin could well hear it. His mouth spoke before his brain could.

"Reni, you shouldn't be with Jayem!" His eyes widened at his own words. It definitely wasn't meant to come out like that.

"I knew it! You're just pissed because you're jealous!" Reni shouted at him.

"Hardly what I meant. Clearly after your little comment about my piece of the Triforce, you're the jealous one." Zerin jumped to correct himself. Reni glared at him and turned her back, folding her arms. He groaned, putting his hands together, "All of that aside, Reni, you need to listen to me. I haven't been able to talk to you about this but I have some serious doubts that we should be trusting the Yugano."

"That's ridiculous, Zerin. Of course we can trust them." Reni turned around, unfolding her arms.

"No, we can't." He protested, "There is something wrong, I just don't know what yet. They're up to something, I can just tell. Ecspecially Ezaiu, he-"

"Doesn't sound like you have a lot of evidence to back up this little suspicion of yours." She sneered at him.

Zerin's angry gaze matched hers. His fist tightened as their faces met inches away again but in the exact opposite way of how they met last night, "You know, you'd believe me if you took your eyes off of Jayem for just one second!"

Reni gasped and fired back just as quickly as she could, "You know, you're probably still holding a grudge because of what happened between your fathers." Reni looked at him, "The war is over, Zerin! Your father and his are dead! Why can't you move on?"

Zerin took a step back away from her. He was quiet for a moment before speaking back up, "I can definitely move on from this. I'm done arguing with you if you aren't even going to listen."

"I'm listening and you sound absurd." She scoffed.

"I'm leaving." Zerin replied, turning his back and beginning to walk north.

"Good." Reni straightened herself up, "You just go home then! I'm sure your traveling is almost through, go become a fancy king and have your stupid, fancy party or whatever."

"I will." Zerin shouted back, "It called a coronation and you're not invited."

"Good." Reni finished as she walked in a different direction. She heard him say something, sounded like a goodbye, but he was too quiet and already too far behind for her to hear clear enough.

She tried her hardest not to look back at him as they parted their ways. But as she made her way towards Kakariko Village, she caved and just glanced over her shoulder. He was already out of sight. She immediately felt the rush of guilt sweep over her like a storm.

But it was too late now.

.:.

Zerin made his way into northern Hyrule Field. The fight he had with Reni was a blur now. He felt so blinded by rage that he just went off. He couldn't even remember half of what he said to her. He pushed back the feelings of regret that tried to overcome him and make him run back and apologize to her on his knees. He assumed he just let his feelings get the best of him but maybe it was for the best. He stopped himself from falling for her but now he lost her as his friend.

The prince shook the thoughts away in head. It didn't matter anymore. All was said and done and there was no taking it back. He looked ahead of him at the mountains in view. He remembered that he and Reni were originally headed to visit the Zora Domain before they were caught off track by the Yugano.

He supposed that was where he would head next. Then he could just say his journey is done, head home, become king and leave everything behind him. He sighed at the thought of heading home and becoming king. Usually the idea brought an immediate smile to his face but his mood was too low for that. For now, all he wanted to think about was how he was going to get to the Zora Domain. He saw no direct path and no signs to lead him.

Zerin raised a hand to his chin in thought as he examined his surroundings. He was stood in the same location he and Reni stopped by at least a week or so ago, after their encounter in the Castle Town marketplace. He walked onto the familiar bridge across the Zora River and looked up at the tower of the castle that held his bedroom. The memory played out in his head and his stomach dropped.

He swallowed back the lump in his throat and moved forward. He paused, looking along the horizon of the mountains towards the Zora Domain. Just how exactly was he supposed to get from here to there? He saw no direct path. Instinctively he turned around, expecting a ginger-haired girl to be standing there with a map in hand pointing him in direction. He almost forget that he left the map with Reni. How was he supposed to know where to go? Zerin groaned and ran his hand down his neck. Now he had to find the entrance the hard way.

After some searching, he found the mountain path he knew would take him to the Zora Domain. Rubble lay at the base of the tunnel entrance; someone must have cleared a rock blocking the way earlier or something. Zerin felt his lips curl into a small smile at the thought that he was traveling the same path that the Hero of Hyrule travelled. And of course, that thought brought his mind right back to Reni. Zerin shrugged the thought away as quickly as he could and entered the tunnel. He caught the heavy scent of the fresh water and strange fish that resided there right as he entered it. While a little odd smelling, the different scent was refreshing to Zerin. He had gotten way too used to the smell of forest and village folk.

His mind drifted back to Reni for a moment and the rueful feeling in the pit of his stomach returned. He let out a heavy sigh and shifted focus back onto the path ahead. Maybe he should sent a letter her way once he gets through this trip...

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of running water in the distance and a melody accompanying it that reminded him of clinking glass. Zerin stopped in his track and stared in awe at the majestic waterfalls that entranced his view. The scene was only slight obstructed by vine-covered pillars that descended from the roof of the earthy hallway. He walked up the steps ahead of him and carefully made his way for a better view. He peeked his head over the edge and looked down at the large pool below where the strange fish people lived. There were none in his view today. Either way, he couldn't suppress the grin that emerged across his face.

Zerin stepped back away from the edge, not wanting to carelessly fall over. He continued his way down the long hallway. He's only read a little about the strange Zoras that live here during a few history lessons at the palace. He's never seen one in person though. Apparently, the domain was like their own kingdom within Hyrule. Perhaps he would be able to meet their king... if they had one; the information from those lessons was still a bit foggy. He looked behind him cautiously. He felt the strange feeling he was being watched...

A spear was suddenly pointed into his face. Zerin was too distracted by his thoughts to notice the stranger that had caught him in the hallway. He looked down at the spear's wielder, it was a Zora. The creature was shorter than he expected, it must have been a child. But why would a child be in possession of a spear... and holding it right up to his neck?!

"You!" The Zora spoke, the voice high and clearly belonging to a young girl, "You're trespassing on King Ralis' domain!" Ah, so there was a king, Zerin mentally noted. He shifted himself up straighter.

"You must be mistaken," He replied, trying to play it cool, "I'm no trespasser. I'm Prince Zerin of Hyrule!"

The Zora girl didn't budge, only edging the spear closer to him, "I've never heard of you."

"What? That's preposterous, I'm the future king!" He protested.

"I only have one king and that's King Ralis! Now you better leave or else I'd have to kill you!" She said, looking into his eyes with full promise. Kill him?! Zerin couldn't believe what he was hearing from this girl! "I'm Yeuselle, one of the best knights under his majesty, King Ralis!" She declared proudly.

A knight? Zerin scoffed to himself, she looked far too young to be a real knight. She was probably just some cocky, little knight-in-training looking to get some extra points. He's seen plenty of those back at the palace.

"Sure, you are." He sarcastically replied. She shot a deadly glare back him but he continued to taunt her, "You're just a child, do you even know how to use that thing?"

Yeuselle smirked at him and pulled the spear back from his throat. Zerin released a sigh of relief until she abruptly brought it back. She would've sliced open his chest if he hadn't jumped back a step. She moved very fast with the weapon, which towered her by two feet. It didn't look very light either, the spear was heavily decorated with pearls and shell-like ornaments. Zerin groaned, there was only one out of this for him; although the last thing he wanted to do was fight with a child. He reached his arm behind for his sword but she took the quick opportunity to strike. He flinched his arm downward, reacting to the pain from the wound cut under his forearm.

He got no more than a chance to react because the next second, she was lunging at him again with the spear. He managed to dodge her blow this time, but was knocked on his back. The spear was suddenly impaled into the ground, right beside his neck.

"Close, but not close enough." He heard her voice grumble above him.

Zerin quickly rolled out of the way to the left as she retracted her weapon. He didn't realize his error quick enough to grab the edge of the hallway. He rolled right off the edge into the pool below. Zerin fell headfirst into the water, feeling the cold sting as it hit his face. He became submerged under the water until he regained himself and swam back up the surface, gasping aloud for air. He looked above him and saw Yeuselle looking down at him from the hallway stories above. She could jump in after him at any minute, he swam for the nearest ledge.

He pulled himself onto the ground, feeling the heavy weight of his wet clothes pull against him. He coughed some of the water out of his lungs and pulled himself completely up. He winced, feeling the sting of the fresh gash on his arm. His head tossed around, looking for some kind of exit. A tunnel with a bright, white light emerging from it caught his eye. He jogged over to it, immediately feeling the cold breeze that blew from it.

A splash of water made him jump. He turned around, seeing Yeuselle's head emerge from the water. He looked ahead of him into the tunnel, the only escape in sight, and ran.

"Where are you going?!" Yeuselle's voice called after him. He didn't reply and just ran straight for the white light ahead of him, feeling the breeze get colder and colder. Just where did this tunnel lead?

"You'll die if you go out there!" Her voice was faint behind him but he could still hear her.

"I'd die if I stayed back there." Zerin murmured to himself. He ignored her warning and continued. He heard Yeuselle's voice shout to him once more, but he was already too far to hear clear enough.

He didn't look back. Yeuselle was probably already out of sight behind him. He became blinded by the white light of the exit of the tunnel. He immediately felt the cold sweep over him like a storm.

But it was too late now.

.:.

The prince mentally cursed himself over and over again. He was stupid, so stupid. First he got into that fight with the closest companion that he's ever had. Second, he almost got himself killed by that little Zora girl when he should've just left the minute she threatened him with the spear. And now, he was lost in a place he had only heard of and caught in a freezing snow storm. He would turn around and head back to the Zoras but he lost the tunnel behind him not so long fact that his clothes were soaking wet when he entered the storm didn't really help his situation. His outfit wasn't suited for the cold weather either way. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Zerin's body shivered, he couldn't feel his fingers or his toes. His teeth clattered and his arms were crossed over tight against his chest. At least his whole body was so numb that the wound on his arm wasn't hurting him anymore- not like it mattered. He could still fell the pain that surged through his whole body from the stinging of the snow against his skin. His legs were tiring out beneath him, exhausted of trudging through the heavy, knee-deep snow.

He was going to die out here, he was sure of it. He thought of all those other times he thought he was going to die; like when he got attacked by the Bulblins and fell into the stream when he first started his journey or when he got attacked by the Bulblins a second time with Reni. There was also the time he thought he was going to die when he fought the giant Skulltula in the woods and when he first met Impaya and she almost killed him. He cursed himself again, how did he ever get himself into these situations? Despite all those times he would've sworn he almost died, Zerin knew he wasn't more sure about it than today.

What would become of his kingdom without him? He thought of his mother, almost near the end herself and he resisted the tears that welled up in his eyes. He wished he could've at least had the chance to see Reni again and apologize. The bracelet was still in his pocket. He didn't want to think of regrets, there was nothing he could do about that.

Zerin felt his knees wobble beneath him and he collapsed to the ground.

The sound of the wind howled in his ears as everything blacked out around him.

.:.

**Other Information, Character Bios, and Side Notes All Together**

**Yeuselle:** The young Zora child Prince Zerin encountered on his trip to the Zora Domain. She's got quite the attitude and doesn't let anyone push her around. One of the Prince Ralis' most deadly knights or just a 'cocky, little knight-in-training looking to get some extra brownie points'? Who knows, maybe we'll see her again later. She's a very skilled fighter, ecspecially with a spear. She has the utmost loyalty to Prince Ralis of the Zoras.


End file.
